


These are not the same times

by dirtypawshistorie



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Angst, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemy Lovers, Fluff, I really swear, I swear, M/M, Post-Canon, Post-Dark Continent Arc, THEY WILL LOVE EACHOTHER, They'll love each other, but not really, i work better at night hours help, maybe it will be rated E, ok it's slow burn, slowly falling in love, they will end up together i swear, very
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-31
Updated: 2019-10-12
Packaged: 2019-12-29 19:56:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 37,726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18300917
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dirtypawshistorie/pseuds/dirtypawshistorie
Summary: After achieving his life mission, he retired to the loneless of the forest.He was living in peace, until Chrollo Lucilfer fell from the sky in front of his home.Now, Kurapika was in the worst situation possible, taking care of his worst enemy while trying to not kill him in the process.





	1. Chapter 1

Sweeping the porch of his cabin was something he enjoyed doing, more on these fall days. The sight of the tall, thick trees, the shadows they made on the grass and the scent of moist soil gave him a sense of tranquility, it was homey. The forest reminded him a lot of Lukso.

The sky was turning orange, he finished his task and entered his home to make some dinner.

Taking off his shoes at the entrance, he went to the small kitchen and opened the cabinets to take out some whole grain cereal. He turned to the refrigerator to get milk and pour it into the bowl.

 

With his dinner on his hands, he entered the living room and sat in the single arm chair in front of the fireplace. He left the plate on the coffee table at his side to set up the little fireplace with the little wood he found earlier. Now enjoying the warmth of the fire and contrast of the cold milk in his mouth, Kurapika spent his dinner time watching the flames move.

He really enjoyed the serenity of this place.

Two years after the Dark Continent incident, Kurapika fulfilled his goal. He gave his clan a well-deserved rest. It was not an easy task, and he knew that he paid a great price. But for him, all of it was worth it; he couldn’t be happier to have achieved it.

And although his friends insisted that he joined them, in all of their crazy and stupid adventures, he simply decided to follow his own path; alone and out of action. Things had already been too complicated for him. At this point he just wanted to spend the rest of his days without disturbances or strategies. He just wanted to live between nature and enjoy everyday life, as it always should have been.

He finished his dinner, washed the plate and changed into his sleepwear. A trouser and shirt a size larger than they should be, but he liked the comfort they provided.

Already in his bed before closing his eyes, he thought again about the adventures of the past and his friends. In how there were moments where he missed them, missing the feeling of adrenaline and discovery of new places. But also, he knows that in addition to his not so great as before physical condition, they’re no longer days for him to walk around looking for problems (or usually problems looking for him).

His task was over, his family members should have an eternal rest and he could not be more proud of that. So with the moonlight perched on his white sheets through the window and a small smile on his lips, Kurapika dreamed of good memories of the past.

 

* * *

His legs failed him making him to fall to the ground, this couldn’t be good. He heard the voices at the end of the back corridors, that wasn’t good either.

Things rarely went wrong for him, but tonight, it seemed like karma made its appearance and came back wanting to charge dearly. He stood up, ignoring the pain in his ankles and summoned the Skill Hunter. He knew he was close to the exit, so if he teleported a bit to the left he should be on the street.

His body disappeared and appeared in a dark alley. The buildings on the sides were high with small windows, and the street in front of him was busy and illuminated. It would be a problem to go out with these blooded and ripped clothes to the public.

'' HEY, WAIT '' And there it was, the man that was beginning to fill his patience.

A crowd of soldiers began to appear behind him, then in front of him blocking his view to freedom. Then they covered his sides, and ended up surrounding him.

He made a mental recount of the damage by analyzing the situation. Okay, a lot of pain in his abdomen, his ankles with an attempted of amputation, also a bullet in his right shoulder and left thigh. The fatigue started to affect him. The body guards had a very respectable ability, worthy of being those of a powerful president of a country. 

 

Surrounded by armed to the teeth soldiers in a busy city, the possibility of escaping without car or fleeing at high speed were nule.

 

His body began to hurt a lot.

Situation: Bad, but at least his objectives were intact in his pocket.

'' Attention, aim '' said the annoying man among the crowd. Soldiers were moving and Chrollo had no choice, he opened his book '' FIRE ''.

Some bullets were fired lifting a layer of dust.

'' Wait '' said the man. The armed waited for the smoke to dissipate, but they only found an injured comrade and no sign of the young man. He was no longer there.

 

* * *

A black hole opened in the sky, and a young man with black hair was projected onto the floor. He could not avoid the shock to the green grass and thick branches, only attributing to the pain of his wounds. Really, he's glad he killed those carrying nen guards. Unfortunately one was still alive, but he will return for him, make him pay.

 

But in this moment, with his face on the ground, he felt the sun hit the back of his neck. It's okay, he had to move to survive.

As he could, he got up slowly and started walking through the woods hugging his side with the arm that was not shattered. He needed to find a path, a rofe to some city. If he stayed out of the path, without the possibility of people finding him, he could bleed himself to death. He had to find a town and hoped it was as close as possible, he didn’t know if his legs would be able to continue any more.

Approximately after 15 minutes he managed to see a cabin in the center of a treeless plot. Walking towards the cabin he began to feel all the over-exertion he did earlier. The wear and tear of nen for his ability to escape,his fights three hours ago. Breathing began to be harder, and he had dry blood all over his body.

When he reached the edge of trees his eyes began to cloud and he fell on his knees to the floor. With the little focus he still had, he could see that a person came out of the cabin. 

 

Well, minimal if they didn’t heal him, he hoped to have a decent burial. That was the last thing he thought when he fell unconscious.

 

* * *

Fate  **_hated him_ ** , He was very convinced of that.

His head began to hurt a lot, his body motionless at the entrance of his home. He felt his cold neck, mouth going dry as if he hadn’t taken water in weeks. And he knew, that his eyes were very red.

Fate definitely wanted to make him suffer, by putting Chrollo Lucifer himself unconscious at no less than 5 meters from the entrance of his home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! So, this is it. This is my first fic.  
> I really put myself to this project of mine, because I really want to write a good story about mai bois Kuroro y Kurapika.  
> I hope you liked reading it, if you did, don't be afraid to review it and let me know what you think!
> 
> Also, english isn't my first language, and either's this fic. This fic is now 5 chapters in, but in spanish.  
> I wanted to translate it to english because I wanted a chance to share it to more people. And also, for a better redaction than just google translate. 
> 
> Really, really hope you liked it!  
> See next time, bye c:!


	2. Chapter 2

He abruptly opened his eyes.

 

He could hear the birds singing outside, his room illuminated by the morning light. He turned to his night table, the clock read 9 a.m.. He sat on the edge of the bed and put on his slippers.

Then he felt it again. A feeling that he has not experience in a long time ago. His instinct, which has never failed him, told him to be alert. Activating Zetsu, He tried to perceive some Nen force in the surroundings, and indeed someone was near his home...walking. A carrier of Nen, although not of a great magnitude.

Kurapika hurried, got up to go to the closet and changed to some black pants and white shirt. He knelt by the trunk on the floor looked for his bokken. Carrying his weapons in hand, he got up and looked through the window. It seemed that the creatures of the forest silenced, the trees looked calm too.

According to his senses, whoever was hanging around was approaching his house.

It was strange that someone passed by his cabin,  the only nearby town was 1 hour away by foot, and most of its inhabitants are retired seniors looking for the same lifestyle as him. No one within a 100 km radius had any idea of what Nen was.

He walked slowly to the main room,  feeling calm but alert and prepared. The aura was weak, barely there, and it moved slowly. Kurapika didn’t want to leave his cabin yet, not until he was sure they were coming towards him, but the unknown person exceeded the admission limit for the Kurta , and he opened the door slowly. 

 

But no battle, no encounter, no circumstance or problem that has happened him before, could have prepared him for this situation.

No more than 5 meters from his porch, was the man author of his greatest suffering.

He was lying on the ground on his side revealing his pale face, whose situation was deplorable. His black hair was loose, his clothes torn and full of holes and all him was wrapped in a layer of dirt and dried blood.

Kurapika entered in a state of shock, not believing he was in such a scene. Chrollo Lucilfer , wounded almost to death, unconscious in front of his house far from civilization.

Then the anger came.

He felt his aura explode and his chains appeared. Emperor Time had been activated and his own vision seemed to turn red. He heard the sound of his breathing becoming stronger and more intense. The bokkens fell to the floor when he stepped forward.

Kurapika was walking slowly towards his current goal. His judgment seemed to have gone completely off and only a strong thirst was moving him. He wanted to kill that man. 

 

He came down from the porch with eyes wide open and a look that could intimidate even the stronger warrior. Kurapika raised his right arm and with his middle finger, chained the young man in front of him. He dragged him closer to him across the floor and lifted him up in the air so he could inspect him.

With more detail, he could see the bruises on his face. White skin turning green and purple at various points on his body. He wore a black open shirt that showed all his sword wounds in the stomach, his pants were full of mud and he could see the bullet wounds on both his thigh and his shoulder. Someone had really made him have a hard time.

Kurapika received memories flooding his mind. The countless nights of suffering, the days full of anguish and nostalgia. All the years of his life consumed by rage, thanks to this person in front of him. This man had committed a sin he couldn’t forgive. Not when there are still days where he thinks he can hear his mother's voice whenever he starts cooking.

His blood rushed a little bit more in his veins. The chain began to climb Chrollo’s neck and entangling him like a snake. Still with Chrollo in the air, Kurapika with a intense gaze, began to tighten the man's neck; little by little, slowly. Chrollo began to squeeze his eyes still unconscious, but didn’t seem to regain knowledge.

Then, something moved in the bushes.

Quickly, Kurapika extended his chain to take whoever moved in the back. Who could it be? The boy in the black raincoat, the blond without eyebrows, the girl with pink hair? With the spiders, one could not be trusted. Alert, Kurapika was slowly lifting what he caught from the bottom branches, revealing a baby deer which had begun to whimper. One could tell the poor animal was on great pain, that Kurapika was hurting him.

 

When he noticed that it only was a harmless creature, released the baby deer immediately. His body began to feel cold, realizing he was trembling. His head started to spin, the air seemed to be far missing. He raised his hands to see them, they disgusted him. Hands stained with blood; hands of a murderer.

He deactivated Emperor time and dropped to the ground on his knees. He held his stomach for a moment to try to control the nausea. The unconscious man’s body fell in front of him. Kurapika started crawling slowly towards him and stopped. With curious eyes he observed his face. 

 

Chrollo looked swollen with dry lips and had a black eye. Kurapika looked down at his shoulders, arms, torso, legs. Chrollo Lucilfer really was badly mortally wounded in front of him.

 

Kurapika couldn’t believe what he was about to do.

 

* * *

The white light of his bathroom made the pain pulsating in his head to grow stronger. He was in the sink wetting white cloths, rubbing them a little bit together to make sure they were clean. He inhaled deeply, exhaled slowly and lifted his head to meet his reflection in the mirror.

He saw a tired young man, with dark circles in his eyes, wearing the red earrings of his clan. He liked to use them daily, they reminded him of the good old days.He also saw small wrinkles on his forehead that weren't there before. His hair was loose, more or less with a length of 4 inches below his shoulders, no longer worried about cutting it constantly. Taking the rubber band in his wrist, he tied it in a low ponytail.

He closed the faucet and put the handkerchiefs in a small first-aid box and went to his room.

In the frame of the door dividing the bathroom and his bathroom, he turned to his bed that was on the right, which had a delirious person in fever laying on his back.

For some reason Kurapika held his breath, as if waiting for something to happen. But the minutes passed, he remained disconnected from reality watching the person in front of him and...nothing happened.   In the bedroom one could only hear Chrollo's agitated breathing .

Kurapika approached the red arm sofa that was on the wall and put it at the edge of his bed, he put on some latex gloves, and began to apply first aid in Chrollo .

While treating the bullet wound in his thigh, Kurapika just kept repeating in a low voice " What am I doing? What am I doing"

His head was spinning, trying to find the most ideal way to handle all this  _. _ He thought of calling Leorio, for medical advice on how to treat him (and moral) but Kurapika already knew the basis, so he didn’t need him.

He thought of Cheadle, so that the Zodiacs could take care of the criminal.

He frowned and whispered "But I don’t want anyone in my house."

If he called Leorio or the Zodiacs in this, he could already see the world of people coming to his home, something he didn’t want. He had been anonymous for a long time and, for security reasons, only Killua knew his location.

If he made public that Chrollo was in his cabin badly wounded, he was sure that the rumor was going to pass very quickly and not only the enemies of the spiders were going to come for him, but also the enemies that Kurapika has won sweetly with the passing of the years.

So he decided that he was only going to treat him with the minimum knowledge of first aid he had, keep him in his home until he got better, and when Chrollo is able to move on his own, Kurapika would let him loose somewhere near the train tracks very far from the nearest town.

Kurapika was removing a bullet fragment from the criminals thigh, he felt the skin beneath his hand tremble, heard Chrollo's breathing become more agitated and Kurapika turned his face to see him. Chrollo was grimacing in pain and Kurapika rolled his eyes. Taking the handkerchiefs from the box on the bed he stood up.

Chrollo's forehead was drenched in sweat and his black hair was sticking to his yellow looking skin. The criminal looked very ill and vulnerable. Kurapika narrowed his eyes.

"Stupid bastard" he whispered, and threw the wet cloths to Chrollo’s forehead.

 

* * *

When he started waking up, the first thing Chrollo noticed was a great lack of energy, a lack of familiar energy. Then, only pain in his body. It felt heavy, with a very sharp burning pain in his ankles. It has been long since he had felt so drained and hurted. 

Chrollo felt a pair of hands lifting his left leg, and suddenly, he started to remember everything that had happened before falling unconscious.

He opened his eyes in a snap, but only found the a light wooden roof.

"Why were you by my house?'' an angry voice said.

There were few times where Chrollo was stucked in strange or bizarre situations, either self-inflected or by chances, it was very strange for Chrollo. His expectations and theories were generally correct, usually nothing caught him off guard. But never in his life would he have imagined being in this situation.

The bastard of the chains was bandaging his ankle with a frown, focused on his task, and sitting in an armchair next to the bed, bed on which he seemed to be lying.

Chrollo moved to get up, but he couldn’t, the pain in his muscles making him burn. He turned his gaze to see that his left arm was fastened with handcuffs to a piece of furniture on the side of the bed. He pulled his wrist a little bit, canalazing Nen to break the handcuffs, but it was useless.

"If I was you, I wouldn’t continue doing that," Kurapika told him "You’re going to ruin my night table" leaving Chrollo's ankle carelessly on the bed,and removing his gloves.

"Well, seeing I'm unable to use nen again, I guess you're right" commented Chrollo in a cold tone.

Kurapika got up, took the first aid box and went into the next room. Chrollo supposed it was the bathroom because he heard a tap open and the water run.

With the little strength he had, he removed the towel from his forehead with his free arm and tried to sit down again. Clenching his jas, he was able to lean his head against the wall a bit, ignoring the sharp pains in his shoulders and ribs. He tried to invoke Skill Hunter to corroborate his lack of nen. No book appeared in his hand.

Chrollo looked at his body and analyzed his condition. Wearing the same clothes he had been wearing the last time he was conscious, his head was spinning and in pain, he felt nauseous, he had the bandage on his thigh where he had been shot as in his shoulder. He also was in a high fever and felt the chills go up in his back, but his ankles were the worst part.

He knew he had received many injuries in his last battle, yet he was surprised to notice how much he couldn’t move a muscle from his feet because the pain was too much.

" _N_ _ot bad"_ he thought with some humor. It was a bad situation and he didn’t remember the last time he was so cornered in his life. But being the cynic that he feels proud of being, he couldn’t help thinking how funny his position was.

For some reason Kurapika of the Kurta Clan, the same clan that he and his troupe had annihilated years ago, after all his promises and words of vengeance, Kurapika welcomed him as a defenseless deer to heal his wounds.  

Kurapika came out of the bathroom and saw the position Chrollo was in. When Chrollo turned his face to make eye contact, the blonde turned his head immediately. He took the armchair, moved it to be face to face from Chrollo and sat down.

Kurapika inhaled deeply, exhaled slowly, closed his eyes and leaned his elbows on his knees, clasping his hands at the height of his nose.

''You didn’t answer my question''  he said still with his eyes closed in a low and angry voice "Why were you by my house?''.

Chrollo looked at the kurta without any humor or cynicism, and responded in a monotonous way "I don't know"

Kurapika frowned "How do you not know?"

''Well I don't know''

Silence took over the room and only crickets could be heard from outside, Chrollo felt an icy breeze come through the window.

Kurapika let out a sigh of annoyance '' ?How did you get here, then?''

"I stole the Hatsu from an opponent for extreme measures. It allows me to teleport to great distances, but I don’t know how the destination is decided"

When Kurapika finally opened his eyes, they showed two rubies that looked at Chrollo with a little mockery. "I find it strange that the boss of one of the most dangerous groups of thieves in recent years, makes a beginner’s mistake and doesn’t know the skill that he stole''

Chrollo gave him a small cold smile and tilted his head a little.

"It was a life and death situation, so this time it was an exception," the criminal said formally and closing his eyes.

''I suppose any place was better than the situation you were in''

''Exactly''

Kurapika closed his eyes again taking a deep breath and opened them. He looked directly at Chrollo, who returned his gaze with the same intensity. As the tension grew, outside could be heard the howl of some wolf.

''Look, I'll be direct" Kurapika said as he leaned back in the chair, still maintaining eye contact ''I don’t care about the Phantom Troupe anymore and I'm not interested in killing you, or handing you over to the authorities''

The criminal couldn’t help but be a little surprised. He always thought of the bastard as his eternal enemy.

''However, that doesn’t mean I'll let you go free to do more atrocities and steal from innocent people and killing children'' the blonde said with a look of disgust.

''Then for my lack of nen I have to thank you'' answered Chrollo sarcastically.

"You're welcome"

Chrollo's smile widened a little more coldly because of the blond's ironic response. ''Then'' he said, extending the word "You are not going to kill me?"

''No" Kurapika answered dryly

"Are you not going to deliver me?''

''I'm not interested in doing favors for the government"

Chrollo was really surprised by Kurapika’s coldness, but he didn’t let it show on his face "And what happened to the child who promised to kill me in the name of his clan?"

''As I told you'' the blond said annoyed by the term '' _ child _ ''. He got up from the chair, leaned down to be near Chrollo’s face and said in a whisper full of hate. "I'm not interested in the spider anymore. But if you want to die in the forest so that the animals can feed from your putrefied flesh, I’ll gladly do the honors and take you to the deepest point among the trees to die alone and cold in the woods"

There was a moment of silence between the two, keeping their eyes in contact and with challenge. Kurapika transmitting nothing but pure hatred towards Chrollo, and Chrollo looked at him seriously, analysing him.

The situation was strange and dangerous,

''No, that's fine'' Chrollo broke silence with a formal smile ''Thank you''

But Chrollo had to admit that it was the best chance of survival he had.

Kurapika just straightened up and went back to the couch. He sat down reclining his whole body and relaxed a little. He closed his eyes, raised his face to the ceiling and said '' I’ll make it clear. You will only be here long enough to recover. You’ll leave this place to never return. I don’t care where you go or with whom. If for some reason you come looking for me again, I'll kill you the moment you step on this forest'' He lowered his scarlet gaze to see Chrollo.

''All right'' Chrollo replied with serious tone.

Chrollo understood that all of this was the best he could hope for, so he didn't think about objecting. But still he couldn’t avoid anxiety to start building in the back of his head, since, he had to live with Kurapika for an indefinite and practically helpless time.

Without physical strength, badly wounded, sick, without any nen and without having an idea of its current location or where it was.

But, it could still be fun.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Coming early with the second chapter because I want to translate everything as soon as possible, and be uploading both fics at the same time.  
> I want to thank the dearlies who came to leave kudos in this fic (las que vinieron del otro fic, las tqm mucho, ok? :'v) and thank Seruru for the review!! It really made me happy.  
> Hope to see y'all soon!


	3. Chapter 3

When he woke up he didn’t open his eyes immediately, letting them rest a little bit and not wanting the light to hit on. But Chrollo noticed a change in the air of the room. When he sniffed again, he realized Kurapika was cooking, and that whatever he was cooking, it smelled good. He opened his eyes, turned to see the clock that was on the side. The clock read 8:00 a.m. in neon red lights. He let out a tired sigh and tried to sit down.

But when he moved, the pain in his muscles still felt very strong. He felt as if he stretched just a little, his whole body felt a sharp and burning pain. So he resigned himself and looked at the ceiling for a while. It seemed that his fever had finally come down. His head was still spinning, but the nausea disappeared. His bullet wounds were in his shoulder and thigh were the worst part, but overall he seemed to be stable. His wrist was still handcuffed to the night furniture on the side and his limbs were cramped by lack of movement.

He heard a hot pan sizzling something, reminding him that he hasn’t eaten in days. He didn’t even remember drinking water. The lack of food wasn’t something he hasn’t experienced before, but even then his stomach growled. Chrollo wondered what Kurapika’s decision is going to be about feeding him.

'' _Will you he be so kind as to take the time to cook me breakfast?_ '' thought the criminal, genuinely curious about it.

Time passed and the blonde was still in what he assumed was the kitchen, so Chrollo again tried to sit down a bit. But it ended up in the same awkward position of the last time, where only his shoulders  and head were barely leaning against the base of the bed.With his lack of movement, he analyzed the state of his body. 

Chrollo knew that he had little chance of being able to move freely without pain for a few weeks. So the idea of cooking himself a good and full breakfast was out of the window. Considering Kurapika’s attitude, his infinite hatred towards Chrollo, He didn’t expect Kurapika to prepare him breakfast in a courteous and voluntary way. Much less he would be kind enough to take said breakfast to the bed which he was trapped in.

The aroma of vegetables and fried fish began to flow around the cabin. His stomach growled louder.

Then he heard Kurapika moving stuff in the kitchen. The sound of hot oil wasn’t there anymore, now was the sound of opening and closing cabinets. Then he heard footsteps and saw the blond’s shadow approaching the door frame.

Kurapika entered the room with a bowl of white rice, black chopsticks and a glass of water.

''Good morning'' Chrollo said politely, his voice somewhat husky from having just woken up. He was somewhat surprised by the things Kurapika was holding, but relieved because at least it didn’t seem like he wanted to starve him to death.

Kurapika didn’t answer him and neither did see him, he went straight to night table besides the bed and left the food there. Not knowing what to think, Chrollo just said ''Thank you very much, but-'' could not finish what he was going to say because he saw Kurapika looking for something in his back pocket and took out a key. Kurapika bent down to free Chrollo from his handcuffs.

''Eat'' Kurapika said. His eyes on the ground, not wanting to look the man in front of him. It didn’t seem because of shame, because his brows were frowning.

Chrollo without taking matter of Kurapika's dryness, took the plate of rice, left it on his chest, grabbed the chopsticks and began to eat. The dish wasn’t a big thing, the rice wasn’t even seasoned,but still it was enough. Right at his second bite, he saw Kurapika walking out of the room. When he heard  a chair moving and a clap, he supposed it was Kurapika’s prayer before eating.

While Chrollo ate his breakfast, he took advantage and began to observe the room in more detail. The bed he was in, was quite comfortable and wide with crisp white sheets and big pillows pushed to the ground. Although in that moment the sheets are probably dirty because of him and the mess of dirt he had. He turned to his right and looked at the group of trees through the large window. Sunbeams illuminating the other side of the bed.

Taking another bite, he looked at the furniture in the room. The red armchair where Kurapika sat to heal him earlier, was beside the wall  on the same left side of the bed where he laid. Chrollo supposed it was there for Kurapika’s practicalness. That way when he needed to heal him, he just pulled the armchair closer to the bed and sat down.

There was also a closet in front of the bed, not very large or large. Making sense to Chrollo because of the modest and boring fashions sense of the blonde. And on the side of that closet was a desk with a bookshelf attached to the wall.  

He stopped his gaze to look at the titles. He had to admit that the Kurta had good taste in literature. The books he came to recognize were books that had seemed interesting to him at the time. Although he had more books that he didn’t know than those that he did know. But when he got to the last book... he saw his Fun Cloth sticking out a book and the wall.

It seemed strange to him that it wasn’t hidden, it was just ... there. The Fun Cloth that had the  goal he got in his last mission. Its seems that Kurapika was really sure that Chrollo couldn’t do anything in his current state, as to leave Fun Cloth just lying around.

Surprised, he raised an eyebrow and tilted his head a little. But after pondering about it, he let out a resigned sigh and finished his breakfast. He heard a chair drag across the floor and a water tap opening up.

Chrollo looked at the door frame, Kurapika didn’t have any doors, so he could see  that it led to what he believed was the front door. He found it curious how Kurapika could eat breakfast without making a single noise, but it didn’t surprise him.

He returned his gaze at the bookshelf and gave it an analytical look. He had to recover his Fun Cloth. But in the state he was in, he couldn’t just take it and walk out the door.

 

* * *

 

 

When he started washing the dishes, he began to do what he normally does when he makes dumb ass decisions; he begins to reprimand himself incessantly.    

'' _I haven’t even told_ _Gon_ _exactly where I am, as so that I don’t have a problem with this man in my_ _house_ ' ' Kurapika thought with a big frown while scrubing the pan with a little too much force '' _Why do you have to be like that,_ _Kurapika_ _?_ _That bastard doesn’t deserve anything from you_ ' '

Kurapika barely slept last night because his '' guest '' was still aggressively trembling because of his fever. He had to be checking that the handkerchiefs were still damps and fresh every 45 min. Besides that, the idea of sleeping in the same room as Chrollo took away his slumber completely. How could he sleep without a problem, when the murderer of his family was the same room ? His bedroom out of all. With the simple fact of seeing him in his bed, it made his body tense completely like a board, and, to have the instinct of resort to his strength to hurt the sleeping man.

Kurapika was still busy washing his dishes with fury. When he rinsed the cup he used for his coffee, this it slipped from his fingers and fell into the sink, causing him to jump a little.

He squeezed his eyes and snapped his forearms up, almost exploding with exasperation, but he stopped. He breathed through his nose slowly moving his hands with it, held it for two seconds and then exhaled leaving his arms fall to his sides. He finished rinsing the foam, washed the soap from his hands and closed the tap. He dried his hands with the towel that was next to him, and stared at it while squeezing it between his fingers.

'' _Why do I have to go through this?_ _I'd better get him loose somewhere near the road._ ''

And as it is, things changed. Kurapika was determined to get rid of Chrollo . He didn’t want to be suffering nonsensical inconveniences, for a person who doesn’t deserve even the smallest charity or good act. But when he turned around with the intention to go to his room, many memories began to flood his head.

Faces of people he would like to forget, times of when he felt more powerful than ever, all of that began to appear one after another like a roll film.

Kurapika felt a contraction in his chest and his throat being uncomfortable.

For him it wasn’t like he regretted everything he did for his clan. But still the memory of blood in his hands made him want to vomit.

He got out of his trance, rubbed his face with both hands and walked. He adjusted the chair in place, the condiments in the cabinets, grabbed a large glass, filled it with water and started walking to his bedroom again.

When he entered, he saw Chrollo finish his water and the empty plate on the side. Chrollo looked up when noticed Kurapika enter.

When they crossed gazes, it was... strange, more than anything else.

On one hand Kurapika looked Chrollo with great intensity, conveying a combination of hatred and contempt. However, Chrollo just responded with a polite smile, but nothing in his eyes translated, just indifference.

''Thank you very much for the breakfast'' Chrollo said.

Kurapika approached to grab the empty glass on the night table and said '' You need a bath. '' Followed by that, he opened the door at the side of the bed, turned on the light and went to the bathtub to open a tap, leaving a somewhat perplexed Chrollo in the other room.

The criminal knew he needed a bath, he felt uncomfortable in his clothes, but what intrigued him is what it meant to take a bath. He heard a stream of water and saw Kurapika left the room with the empty plate and glass in his hands.

He turned his face to look at the doorframe of the bathroom and noticed that some vapor was beginning to come out.

'' _Good_ '' thought Chrollo '' _At least he doesn’t want to torture me with cold water_ ''. Which were good news, because his skin was a bit cold from the lack of sheets, the dry mud on his clothes and the chilly breeze from the window. To know that he’s going to have a hot shower caused him some joy.

He turned to the ceiling, closed his eyes and began to control his breathing. Inhaling slowly and releasing just as slowly. It caused him some pain but he tried to relax and try to think.

He had to admit that the blond's decisions surprised him.

In addition to saving him from a slow and lonely death in the forest, he welcomed him into his home to take care of him himself. Without any gain or commitment. In fact, it was like torture for Kurapika. Still he did it without asking anything in return.True, he took again Chrollo’s Nen again, but nothing guaranteed the blonde that Chrollo could just go and recover his skills in the same way as before.

Kurapika entered the room again, interrupting Chrollo’s line of thought. The criminal turned to see him and realized he was bringing with him a wheelchair, leaving it close to the bed.

The blond pulled his hair up in a ponytail. Chrollo noticed the little skin showing by the rise of his white shirt, a small navel. Rolling up his sleeves and Kurapika said '' Try to bend your knees ''

Chrollo looked at him for a moment, blinked a couple of times and turned to see his legs. First he bent one leg, the one with the bullet wound, and then the other. It hurted a lot but nothing that he hasn’t felt before. He bent his legs just enough to separate his knees from the bed, making a small space.

Kurapika approached the chair to put it at his side, looked at Chrollo's legs and then his face. The blonde's face showed annoyance. His mouth formed a line with hatred in his eyes. But still, Kurapika bent down a little, put an arm around Chrollo's knees , the other arm between his back and the bed, and swiftly lifted Chrollo in princess style.

Chrollo felt a sharp pain all over his body, stronger in some delicate areas such as his shoulder, abdomen, thigh and ankles. Still he didn’t let any of that show up in his face, just letting his head hang back a bit.

However, Kurapika didn’t waste time and put Chrollo in the wheelchair. Abruptly, making it clear that he didn’t care how much it hurted for the criminal. Chrollo wasn’t surprised of the blond’s bluntness.

Then Kurapika walked behind him and pushed the chair into the bathroom.

The Kurta's bathroom was neat and clean, something nice. The walls had white tiles as the floor, which shone brightly. Almost at the entrance was a white washbasin that looked it was made from porcelain. With a medium-sized mirror on the wall in the shape of a square, and the bathtub was in the background taking all the wall in the back of the small bathroom.

Chrollo noticed that space between the bathtub and the toilet was very narrow. Kurapika stopped and left Chrollo near the sink. He went to the tub, rolled up his shirt and put his hand under the water stream. He adjusted the temperature with the knobs and turned to the shelves that were above the toilet, taking a white bottle. Opening up the lid, he poured a clear liquid into the water and turned to see the criminal as he closed it.

The criminal however was somewhat entertained with the scene in front of his eyes and had a small smile on his lips. Simulating false innocence and gratitude. Kurapika looked at him annoyed and approached him ducking a bit to be face to face "Since when did you take a shower?"

Chrollo looked to the sides while he remembered. ''About 5 days ago'' he said cocking his head and looking at him with a small smile on his lips.

Kurapika straightened to look at the criminal from above. "Let's see if the stale smell of the room can go with a shower"

The criminal let out a small laugh and said '' Sorry for the inconvenience''

Then he saw that a small smile was born on the blond's face, accompanying his look of annoyance. A smile of malice that made Chrollo snorted a bit. The blond grunted in response as he turned back to the tub, this time to turn off the tap.

Kurapika turned to Chrollo again, and without any delicacy, he grabbed Chrollo’s arms to undress him.

He started with the shirt, brushing it off from his back. The criminal's gaze changed from a polite and "grateful" expression to an empty one, as his lips formed a straight line. Like before, when the Kurta lifted him of bed. Kurapika knew that he’s making that face because he didn’t wanted to let his pain show, which was sure, it was like burning hell. In any case, despite enjoying Chrollo’s pain, he tried to not waste time.

Kurapika continued removing the bandages from the shoulder, chest and arms of the criminal. In that moment, the blond evaded his gaze completely from Chrollo's face , he didn’t want to pay attention to what was in front of him. Chrollo too just looked at a point on the wall without focus, not paying attention to the blond either. Kurapika's hands then went to the criminal's sides and lifted him up again grabbing his armpits.

One would think that it’s difficult for Kurapika to lift a heavy weight like Chrollo, because of the great difference in height and weight, but Kurapika still had the same strength of years ago.

He rested Chrollo on his shoulder and used the wall to support him. The criminal's injured pectorals were on the blonde's shoulder, stretching his wounds and causing even more pain. That's why Kurapika was laughing before.

However, Kurapika was somewhat more delicate when removing his pants. This time he took a pair of scissors from the top shelf and cut the pants down the sides, including his underwear. Everything fell to the floor. Kurapika put the scissors back on the top shelf.

'' Is all of this necessary? '' Chrollo asked, annoyed but with a polite tone. He didn’t like the position he was in at all. He didn’t mind being naked, but the pain in his body burned a lot.

'' Of course not '' Kurapika said sarcastically '' Come on, stand up. '' taking it from his back and trying to make him stand up.

But Chrollo couldn’t.

When trying to put his weight on his feet he fell almost immediately. His body didn’t respond because of delirium pain in his ankles and thighs. Kurapika caught him before he fell to the floor and seated him back in the chair.

He knelt to finish removing the bandages on his legs, and when he reached his ankles, it was when Chrollo first saw it.

Purple and almost black lines invaded his skin, with green and yellow spots around him. He could see sword cuts around his ankles and some stitches in his wounds. But there were other wounds so deep that they practically showed his flesh.

He knew that in the battle against the guardians, one of them had directed all his attacks to his feet, but he did not expect it to result in injuries as serious as these. Chrollo swallowed and felt his face warm. He could not prevent the shock from showing in his eyes and Kurapika , noticing it, only let out a small bitter snort between his teeth.

''This is the minimum that a person like you deserves'' Kurapika said, eyes to the ground.

When he finished, he stood up to raise Chrollo in princess style again and he bent down to dip him in the water.Chrollo's back was against the wall of the bathtub. It was easier for Chrollo to deal with his weight in underneath the water and with the help of Kurapika he was able to sit down. The movements made his body scream in pain, but the warmth of the water made his muscles to relax a little.

Already inside the bathtub,Chrollo couldn’t be see his body because of the bubbles that had formed, only his chest and his sutured wounds. The water smelled like lemon, the criminal hated the scent of lemon. Kurapika took a small bucket from the floor and gave it to him.

'' Here '' he said.

The Kurta's face showed no emotion, only a muted look that, instead of seeing a point in Chrollo's head, seemed to be observing something beyond reality. As if he didn’t want to be in that place.

And in Chrollo’s case it wasn’t that far away. The criminal was equally absorbed in watching the water bubbles and thinking about his situation. He had become a kind of temporary handicapped. The consequences of his most recent decisions had a very expensive price and he had to find a way to make a profit out of this. But he only took the bucket with his healthy arm, filled it and let the water fall on his head.

''The shampoo and soap is on the floor next to you'' Kurapika said .

''Thank you'' Chrollo said in the same monotonous tone as the Kurta .

Without seeing him or answering him, Kurapika turned around and left the bathroom.

 

* * *

 

 

The steam from bath made the tiles on the walls sweat little droplets, the sink mirror was fogged and the white ceiling lamp bothered the man in the bathtub.

According to Chrollo, 30 minutes have passed since he was in the bathtub.

In those 30 minutes he washed his hair, conditioned it and soaped himself as best as he could, being delicate with his skin; liking the feeling of cleanness in his head very much. There was a moment where he leaned back in the tub and only his head remained outside. His eyes were closed and he started meditating trying to put his mind in blank. Enjoying the little moment of peace he had had in weeks.

He listened to Kurapika approach but remained with his eyes closed. The blonde entered the bathroom, took a few steps towards him and the criminal waited for him to say something. But no, he just came and went.

As he heard the door close, Chrollo opened his eyes and noticed that there were two white towels in the toilet. He let out a sigh and closed his eyes again, trying to return to the blank place in his mind.

Although it didn’t last for 5 minutes when Kurapika returned. And this time, when he got to his side he cleared his throat. Chrollo opened one eye only and turned to see him. The blond had crossed arms and looked at him with an exasperated face. The criminal just watched without doing nor saying anything and Kurapika rolled his eyes with an exasperated sigh

'' Sit down, '' he ordered.

Chrollo raised an eyebrow.

"Do it," the blond repeated.

The criminal just closed his eyes again. He was not used to being orderly yet. He inhaled deeply and with the help of his arm, he sat down slowly. When he finished sitting down, Kurapika rolled up his white shirt and put his hand near the end of the tub, where Chrollo's feet did not touch him, and uncapped the cap so that the water could go down the drain.  

" _He_ _really hates me,_ " the criminal thought as he looked at his face. He noticed that the blond was wearing the red earrings with which he had been carrying since the last time he saw him, the time of the boat, years ago. He also noticed a mole right behind his ear.

Kurapika must have felt that he was being watched because he turned his face to the wall, blocking Chrollo’s view.

When all the water was drained, Chrollo felt the fresh air against his body, making his skin goosebump. Kurapika quickly grabbed a towel and threw it at the man's head, blocking his view.Chrollo remained still in his place. Then another towel touched his body, a larger one than the one on his head.

He felt Kurapika’s arms encircling his hips to completely cover his waist. Chrollo understood and got up a little (ignoring the throbbing) to make it easier for the blonde to wrap him up.

When Kurapika managed to put the towel in place, he grabbed Chrollo and picked him up, turned on his soles and sat him on the chair. In the chair he removed the towel from his head, bent down and used it to dry his chest and shoulders. With a surprisingly light touch.

Chrollo looked at a point on the wall behind the blond’s head, doing the same as him, avoiding his gaze.

But in Kurapika’s head was dance of total flames. He knew that this was what he **had** to do, but not what he **wanted to** do.He wanted to make the criminal's wounds bleed more and to make him feel a fraction of the pain he felt for so many years, but he’s not going to throw away his progress and just resigned with angry thoughts.

He also hated having the naked body of the person who slaughtered his entire family so close.

Once he finished drying him, he left the small towel in Chrollo's lap , got up and pushed the chair out of the bathroom to the bedroom. Putting Chrollo on the side of the bed, Kurapika took the first aid kit that was in the night table, he sat on the bed facing the criminal, put on his gloves and began to cure Chrollo .

He started with the wound on Chrollo’s right shoulder, taking a look at the needlework he had done. When he confirmed that everything was fine, he disinfected and put a gauze on top of the wound. Then he took Chrollo's arm and lifted up, so he could bandage his entire shoulder. When he did, he looked at the tattoo of the spider that posed strikingly on the criminal's arm, at that moment he felt his face heat up and the immense desire to make Chrollo’s bones crack.

But he took a deep breath, counted to three and continued with the bandages.

While the blonde was still focused on what he was doing, Chrollo looked at the shelf of books. Studying in more detail title by title. He noticed a specific book that he had already read a month ago, which took a lot of his interest. He also noticed another volume by an author who had come to repudiate his point of views. He tried to think of anything else other than the discomfort he was in.

Kurapika finished with his chest and stomach. He straightened a bit and turned to his side to grab the long, beige robe he had pulled out a while ago. The criminal looked at the the Kurta’s hands and how he was giving him the garment.

'' Are you going to make me dress that on my own? '' He said dryly.

Kurapika just rolled his eyes and rolled the garment between her fingers. He moved a little closer to him and passed the head hole in Chrollo’s wet hair. Without being delicate, the Kurta took Chrollo’s wounded arm and passed it through the first hole. Chrollo passed the other arm by himself and adjusted his robe so that it would cover his lap, so he can remove the towel. Then Kurapika lifted him again to put him to lay on the bed.

While Kurapika sat in the wheelchair and took the first aid kit, he noticed that Chrollo was focused on the ceiling, appreciating his lack of interest. He hated feeling his gaze onhim. Letting out another sigh, he concentrated on finishing bandaging the wounds on his legs.

 

* * *

 

 

The morning went on and Kurapika was doing his daily chores. At the time he was cleaning the living room with a broom, moving a little the carpet to swipe the dust.

After Chrollo's bath , the blonde took a quick shower with hot water. That day, he decided to wear white pants and the white nightgown that predominated in his closet. When he was in his cabin, he generally liked to walk barefoot, so he only put on socks, and wear comfy clothes.

By the time he left the bathroom already changed, the criminal was asleep, straight as a statue and his face placid without worry. As if he didn’t care being in the Kurapika's house, or being so vulnerable. Kurapika, irritated by his thoughts, inspected him a little to make sure he was asleep.

The bruises on his face had darkened and the dark circles in his eyes looked like black spots. He also noticed the green tattoo on his forehead, intact from wounds and sweat, a sign that he didn’t a fever anymore. His breathing was rhythmic and deep. He was asleep.

'' _Good_ '' Kurapika thought. Then he went back to his daily routine, to try to clear his mind a bit.

From washing the dirty sheets, to cutting vegetables for food and making coffee for fatigue. Kurapika tried to calm his nerves through his chores. It had become a form of therapy, to be alone with his thoughts, taking care of his house and his patio, cooking his family's recipes.

When he finished sweeping the living room, he looked at the clock and it was 3 o'clock in the afternoon. He left the dustpan and the broom in the door frame of the kitchen and went in to check the pot with soup.

But when he wanted to remove the lid, he heard a thump on the floor and the murmur of some grunts. Exasperated, he rolled his eyes, turned around and walked into the room.

Upon entering, he found a very peculiar scene. Chrollo Lucifer, the wanted, killer, mercenary criminal, was lying face down on the floor. His face was glued to the wood and Kurapika only could hear him muttering things he couldn’t really understand.

When Chrollo realized that Kurapika was there, he turned his face to see him. The blond had a raised eyebrow and was crossed arms. The criminal closed his eyes and leaned slowly against the base of the bed. Looking at the blond seriously, he said with a hoarse voice '' Could you please pass me the chair? ''.

'' Why do you want the chair? '' Kurapika said irritated.

'' I need the chair to go to the bathroom, '' said Chrollo, trying to be courteous, but it sounded more condescending than he would have liked.

Kurapika gave a small affirmative grunt, walked to the closed chair that was on the side of the sofa, opened it, put it in front of the bed and bent down to try to help Chrollo up.

When both realized what was going to happen, they both returned to the same expressionless face they had when Kurapika stripped Chrollo to enter the bathtub.

 

* * *

 

 

When evening fell, Kurapika had just finished washing the noon dishes and was now heating up hot water to prepare himself some tea. The cool autumn breeze visited the kitchen, and the orange light warmed the wood walls. The blond was leaning his elbows in front of the sink, watching the sunset through the window. It had been a very long and stressful day.

The presence of the criminal in his home caused great tension to grow in his neck and shoulders. The annoyance of taking care of him had him exhausted, and it seemed hard to not hit his face every time he saw him.

The good news for Kurapika were that Chrollo knew what was best for him and hadn’t opened his mouth more than just saying "please" and "thank you." But it's not like Kurapika was going to discard the idea of just putting a rag in his mouth to just prevent him from talking.

The teapot began to whistle as a sign that the water was ready, he turned around and poured his cinnamon tea while thinking about the possible endings of all that. Or at least how to get out of that situation.

On one hand, he could take him to the village hospital, but knowing the horrible nature of his "tenant," he was not going to endanger the lives of all those people. He could also go back to the option of telling his friends, but knowing Leorio, he was  sure that his friend was going to make a fuss about it and he would want special forces to imprison Chrollo. It wouldn’t be such a bad idea, if it weren’t  for the fact that Kurapika wanted to continue with his state of "disappeared". He didn’t trust the Hunters' Association to keep the secret of his whereabouts.

Killua (the only one who knew exactly where he lived) was going to tell him to throw the criminal somewhere in the forest to die alone, and he didn’t have the humor or patience in that moment to be explaining his reasons for keeping Chrollo alive.

And then on the other hand, he knew Gon would trust him no matter what, but didn’t want to put his friend in danger for dealing with Chrollo. Because Kurapika was sure that the boy was definitely going to want to come and visit him, which he didn't want that to happen either.

He realized that he was squeezing his blue cup a little too hard when he finished pouring the milk, he was tense again. To relax he concentrated on the aroma that flooded the cabin; cinnamon and wood. That made his chest warm a little and he felt more relaxed. He really was glad to live in that place.

It wasn’t time yet to make dinner, so he decided to go to his room pick up the book he had left half-read days ago. Upon entering the room he saw that Chrollo was awake looking at the ceiling, with a cold and emotionless expression.

When the criminal noticed Kurapika’s arrival, he cocked his eyes to see him for a moment and returned his gaze to the ceiling. He had a thousand things in his head, mainly figuring out the plan to get out of that cabin with his goal in hands. He didn’t care about the cost, but he had to get out of there safe and sound with the Fun Cloth in his possession.

Kurapika, ignoring Chrollo, went to the bookshelf and took one book with a blue navy cover. He turned around and went to his armchair. He put his teacup between his thighs and began to read.

Chrollo noticing that Kurapika took a book, returned his attention to the blond and tried to read the title '' _La Civilization Mewni Et Ses Rois_ ' '. A book he had read a year ago. It was interesting, not amazing, but it contributed a little to his strategies.

Then the criminal moved a little and leaned his head against the base of the bed and cleared his throat to get Kurapika's attention .

'' _Ehem_ ''.

But the blonde didn’t answer, so he tried again.

'' e _hEEem_ ''.

Kurapika lowered the book from his face and looked at Chrollo with an arched eyebrow. "What?"

The criminal gave him a fake and polite little smile and said '' Could you please lend me one of your books? ''.

Kurapika raised his face suspiciously. '' Why would I do that? ''

'' Because I asked for it? '' Said Chrollo with a sarcastic tone.

The blond frowned. '' And what makes you think I'll do what you ask? ''  

With a little moment of silence, Chrollo thought about his answer and said '' I'm bored and I have nothing better to do than count the holes in your ceiling, which by the way, are 21 '' while pointing up.

Kurapika frowned, returned his attention to the book and in a cold voice said '' You should have thought about that before slaughtering all my family with cold blood. ''

Chrollo sighed, his eyes hardened and responded with the same tone as the blonde "It's not like you didn’t kill my family either."

In an instant, like the blink of an eye, the edge of a bokken was against the neck of the criminal. Scarlet red was looking at him with total hatred, Kurapika was standing at the side of the bed and Chrollo only pressed his skin against the edge of the dagger with an indifferent look.

"Do it," he whispered in a low voice, raising his neck a little more.

The hand that carried the bokken had knuckles white, even trembling a little. But just as his hatred broke out, it left.

Kurapika looked away from the criminal, put his bokken back in his pocket and walked to his desk. Where a small stereo sat at a bottom corner. He punched some buttons and piano melodies began to sound in the room.

Still ignoring the criminal in his bed and with the urge to vomit that had suddenly assaulted him, he sat down on his couch again, took a sip of his tea and continued to read his book.

Chrollo seeing that he wasn’t going to get any other reaction from the blonde, returned his attention to the ceiling.

That night Chrollo didn’t receive any dinner.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh my god, you guys. I'm seriously going to cry.  
> When I first uploaded this fic, it was in spanish. Which, not so many people come around here and read fics in spanish, even less people that like Kurokura. So in the original post the activity it's slow and steady (but really gratificating).
> 
> But, the kudos in here, are like, so overwhelming. Because I'm so used to receiving them little by little, that when I had 2/3 of kudos in here as to the ones I have in the original one with only, two chapters, I almost started crying.  
> I KNOW IT'S NOT MUCH, it's normal activity an all. But it just means so much to me.  
> In reality I do do this because of me, and wanting to get this story out there. But really, I cannot be more glad that at least 30 people cared about what I had to say.  
> So thank you all very much, really.
> 
> Aaaaaaaaaaand, with other news:  
> I KNOW, I FLOPPED, I'M A FAILURE. BUT LISTEN.  
> There's this (big) incongruence in my fic. According to basic nen rules, if Chrollo doesn't have nen anymore, the f Fun Cloth shouldn't be there, it should really just dissapear as my dreams and hopes.  
> BUT I DID NOT REALISED UNTIL I FINISHED THE FOURTH CHAPTER.  
> So I thought about it, a lot. On what to do an all. But at the end I just realised that this fic is mine to do :'v.  
> So in this case, I know it's not logical or anything, but the Fun Cloth will stay. The other Chrollo's powers are way gone, but not that trapo, istg. 
> 
> Thank you so much to biscuit for her sweet review, and again, to all the people that have left a kudo in this fic. And even the ones that haven't, It's really exciting seeing how many hist I've had with just 4 days of posting. 
> 
> As always, If you'd like to say something, that being just mere constructive critism, go ahead! 
> 
> I love y'all, I swear :'v <3 Until next time!!


	4. Chapter 4

Feeling as if his heart jumped out of his chest, he opened his eyes abruptly. Drops of cold sweat running down his neck and the icy breeze coming through the window made his skin feel sticky. He rubbed his eyes with the backs of his hands and got up to close the window.

 

The book he was reading last night fell from his lap to the floor, he sighed, picked it up to leave it on the nightstand that was on the side of his bed and returned to the window to close it. Looking through the window he could see the trees be,  He really liked to see the forest in the morning. The sky began to shine with rose and orange lights, receiving the arrival of the sun. The shadows of the trees began to grow and the coolness of the morning went through the wooden walls. Nature could always give him moments of tranquility. He felt a little more complete in serenity.

 

''Good morning'' a hoarse voice said.

 

Kurapika stilled his hand for a moment in the window frame, looking at the landscape outside and decided not to respond to the greeting. Ignoring the existence of that person in the same way that he had been doing since he arrived. He turned around to go to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.

 

Trying to regain some sanity into his life, the Kurta somehow managed to get back into the routine. For three days, all he did was wake up, make breakfast, bathe the criminal, bathe himself, make food, clean the cabin, read, make dinner, sleep and repeat. 

 

And the criminal didn’t change his behavior in that period of time. His progress was null, not being able to move much and, every time the blond moved him Chrollo's face changed to a mask of coldness that Kurapika knew, hid pain. The blonde supposed that it would take more than just a few days to fully recover, and that it was going to be a slow process for him to heal.

 

''I'm glad you're as cheerful as ever'' said Chrollo calmly.

 

What could break the small artificial curtain of peace that Kurapika tried to create, were the repeated times that the criminal provoked him, or tried to have a conversation with him. It seemed that the jet-haired man was entertained watching the blond turn into a rigid board every time his grave voice sounded in the cabin.

 

Dragging his bare feet across the living room rug, and feeling another headache peek through his forehead, he reached the kitchen with the intention of making some coffee and serving a bowl of cereal. (And a platter of rice and water for his ‘’guest'').

 

He set water to boil in a teapot and served his cereal, adding some banana. When he finished and looked for his light blue mug for his coffee, he began to get the feeling that he was forgetting something. In the kitchen he began to hear a ''Cuckoo, cuckoo'' and turned to see the clock on the wall that marked seven. And then it hit. His eyes widened while began to hurry.  

 

Kurapika quickly hurried to finish what he was doing. He sat down, closed his eyes and prayed a little to begin with. He barely chewed his cereal and grimaced in disgust at drinking his almost lukewarm coffee in one chug. As he finished, he went quickly to the room to leave breakfast for Chrollo (earning a look of strangeness on the part of the criminal) and returned to the kitchen to clean.

 

When he finished, he turned off the tap. He went to the room, directly to the closet, to take the clothes he would wear (white shirt and white pants of light cloth) and then went into the bathroom closing the door behind him in one stroke.

 

Chrollo in the bed and with his head on the backrest, witnessed the frenzy of the blonde with some curiosity. It was strange to see him break his ice face and openly demonstrate that he was in a hurry. Generally Kurapika only limited himself to the fact that nothing affected him and maintained an expression of indifference at all times (which Chrollo knew is false, but the blond knows how to maintain facades). But that morning he looked pretty rushed.

 

When he was finishing his plate of rice and was going to drink the glass of water, Kurapika left the bathroom with the steam following him,  drying his hair with a towel while going back to the closet, he had forgotten his socks.

 

The criminal watched the blonde sit in the red chair next to him and put a sock on one foot, then put on his shoe, then put the other sock on the other foot and then the other shoe.  _ '' Strange ''  _ Chrollo thought, but he also like every morning said '' Thanks for the breakfast ''.

 

The blonde stopped in his tracks and finally looked him in the eyes. He got up and approached him. He looked at the criminal with a frown, studying him. Chrollo just remained with the fake smile so familiar on his face. It was typical of Kurapika to stare at him for a moment without saying anything, evidently discussing something in his head. And since he knew that he was not going to get any useful answer by directly asking him why he is observing him, he always limits himself to remaining with his false aspect.

 

And in the blond's head, there was the discussion of what he had to do with the criminal if he wanted to leave the cabin. He thought about the criminal's escape possibilities. He looked at him, then turned to the shelves where the books were, then to the trunk and back to him. Finally breaking contact with Chrollo, he walked to the dressing table to take his bag, then to the shelves and took the Fun Cloth, throwing it in his bag.

 

Before leaving the room, he turned to see Chrollo one last time as if he wanted to corroborate something.

 

''See you later'' replied Chrollo to his gaze.

 

Without saying anything, Kurapika left the room and checked his backpack one last time seeing if he had everything he needed and then left the cabin.

 

* * *

Veronica was a little rural town full of buildings that were very similar to each other. All of them were kinda small, none exceeding more than two stories. Built with warm color bricks and roofs of reddish tiles. Kurapika had the theory that a long time ago a group of people came to these lands to settle, and they used the same materials to build their houses.

 

Since there was little automobile traffic, the stone streets and their narrow sidewalks did not bother anyone. The people of the village produced what they needed for themselves, their own vegetables and fruits, livestock, tailoring, etc. Beyond that, there was no other need for the villagers, so it was rare to see large trucks or many cars in the streets.

 

It seemed that in the foggy morning of autumn, people preferred to stay in the warmth of their homes, because there were fewer people circulating the avenues than there were usually. Kurapika for the first time was pleased by the lack of villagers by the market stalls.

 

With the haste he had, he wasn’t in the mood for small trivial conversations with the ladies he ran into. So when he turned a corner and went straight to the small establishment that was full of flowers across the street with a sign that said '' Flower Shop '', mrs. Merla's business. He pushed the glass door and heard a small bell when he entered.

 

'' Good morning, Kurapika '' the granddaughter of the owner, Susy,  greeted him happily ''How can I help you?''

 

The blond smiled a little and politely said "Good morning, Susy. Could you give me a dozen Lilies, please? "

 

* * *

The criminal let out a stifled laugh when the blonde got out of the cabin, amused by the blonde taking the fun cloth. He didn’t found logic in Kurapika’s worries, because motionless as he was and having no idea of where he is, he wasn’t planning to leave. His plan was to rest and rehabilitate as soon as possible in the blond’s hands. It was a bad and risky plan, but it was a plan. He couldn’t afford to create ingenious strategies when he had no nen, no strength and totally helpless at the mercy of the Kurta, the same Kurta  of the clan that he had massacred years ago. The only person who has had success with his plans against him and the one who wanted him dead more than anything.

 

Life always worked his way, but this time it seemed that it would everything was going to go downhill.

 

Chrollo’s head began to be flooded with memories of the time being in Lukso forest, those memories passed to other ones not very pleasant that he preferred not to have in his head, so putting his mind in white and closing to the world, he went to sleep again .

 

To his bad luck, the darkness assaulted his dreams with shadows from the past. Shadows that he didn’t want to see the moment, blurred people staring at him with wide eyes. Passing from two or three figures, to almost thirty appeared. All with their eyes fixed on him.

 

One of the shadows approached him and put his hand on his chest, making him feel his body sinking by the pressure with a big emptiness. When the figure moved his hand away from his chest, it ad a white circle in the palm of his hand. A ball that radiated its own white light. The other blurry figures rushed towards him, each one putting their hands on his body. For every palm on his skin, Chrollo felt that he was sinking more and more, while the emptiness was getting bigger.

 

When a palm reached his forehead, Chrollo's eyes snapped open. He looked at the other side of the bed, where the sunlight hit his arm and then looked at the ceiling.

 

He heard a door open and close, the sound of a key colliding with a surface and bags of paper coming into contact. Kurapika had returned.

 

When he left the things on the table, Kurapika went to his room and found Chrollo with his eyes wide open and somewhat sweaty.

 

''Welcome back'' Chrollo said with a mocking tone.

 

Kurapika's face distorted into a grimace of annoyance and he felt his blood heat up in an instant. He approached Chrollo in strides and lifted him abruptly to put him in his chair. Chrollo could not help but let out a low growl from the pain in his muscles.

 

Kurapika pushed him into the bathroom and opened the water in the bathtub cold. He undressed Chrollo pulling away his clothe roughly as Chrollo's breathing only deepened because of the pain in his muscles. The blonde squeezed and pulled his robe harder than necessary, making the criminal's skin burn in pain. He finished undressing him and picked him up brusquely to put him in the bathtub that was not yet full of water.

 

The water was almost frozen, and it was very annoying. When he touched it, Chrollo closed his eyes and began to tremble a little, but still indifference in his face. ''  _ I have to learn to shut up from time to time _ '' he thought somewhat angry.

 

The blonde turned to leave the bathroom, halting hesitantly in the doorway letting out a sigh. Chrollo kept his eyes closed when Kurapika walked back to the tub, bent down to close the tap on the left and opened the right one. Chrollo felt hot water fall on his knee and opened his eyes to see the blond, but he had already left the bathroom closing the door sharply ''  _ Weird ''  _ he thought.

 

Back in the kitchen, Kurapika put on his apron, picked up his hair in a high ponytail and started cutting the vegetables that had bought in town. He turned to see the clock and it marked past noon. He had to clean his house, cook food and make preparations for the day if he wanted to have everything ready before it got dark. ''  _ I have to hurry up, _ '' he thought.

 

He cut vegetables and put them in the pot with boiling water. He threw a massive amount of herbs and began to prepare to marinate beef for later. He separated the remaining herbs and a few more to put them in a cloth bag. He checked the rice machine, it still had enough for two servings, turning the button on and adding some water to make the rice re-hydrate. Leaving finally one last step to throw the already marinated meat into the pot.

 

As he finished in the kitchen, he began to sweep the house and make it presentable for the afternoon. While sweeping, his hair ended up in a low ponytail and eh picked it up again. Halfway through taking out the trash, he felt too quiet, and went to turn on the radio in his room, piano notes playing in the cabin.

 

He really hoped it that that afternoon turned out to be a good one.

 

* * *

The cuckoo bird left his home on the clock and sang at nine o'clock in the evening. Kurapika was in the kitchen emptying the tea he made for the special white and red teapot.  He left the empty pot in the sink, washed his hands and dried them with a small towel. He was somewhat tired, but he could finish just in time.

 

Walking to the table, he took three red candles out of the bags and went to the living room to put them on top of the fireplace. Now the last thing he had to do was to change clothes again.

 

And no matter how many times he has entered and left his room these days, it still bothered him a lot to see the criminal’s figure in his bed, just looking at the ceiling. It was already quite bizarre and frustrating to see him in his bed. Also, the only thing that Chrollo did was to look at the roof half asleep. Ii was beginning to disturb Kurapika, all he did was see the roof.

 

Kurapika shooked his head and ducked into the last drawer of his closet, where he had the clothes he did not wear every day.

 

His traditional clothes were something that he appreciated, but he preferred to have them in the tranquility of the secluded. It wasn’t that he hated to use them, nor their origin, but while wearing them he felt suffocated at times, also when he saw himself in the mirror with them.

 

He realized that he was tightening the blue and yellow garment a little tight, he blinked twice and got up to go to the bathroom to change. Ignoring the man in his bed who was still disregarding in his presence.

 

When he closed the door beginning to change and when he finished he looked at himself in the mirror. He still wore his hair up and took off the hairband. He tucked his fringe behind his ears, showing his red earrings. He composed his neck a little and put on the blue robe on top of the shirt. Finally, he brushed his hair a couple of times until he was satisfied with how appeased he was, thinking he needed a haircut soon.

 

He exited the bathroom and went to his trunk, looking for his special box, finding what he needed. He stared to remember the days of his childhood when his mother explained to him the importance of honoring your ancestors, that thanks to them you are there and that it is an important act to pay their respects when you indicate it.

 

Kurapika's eyes turned warm and a small smile appeared on his lips. He ran his fingers lightly through the plastic, looking at the picture. He thought that his mother looked more similar to his grandmother than him. Seeing the picture, he always could see his mother's loving smile, like in the past when he received him in the kitchen as a child, crying  because of a scratch in the knee.

 

Yet many people at the time that he looked more like his grandmother than his mother.

 

''Now I see where you got such fine features'' said a hoarse voice.

 

A grunt of annoyance left Kurapika’s lips and he hid the frame, leaving the room. Almost dragging his feet.

 

He lit the candles in the fireplace and put the picture frame in the middle of them. He went to the kitchen and poured two cups of tea into small porcelain cups that matched the teapot. He took some herbs, put them in a glass and lit them so that they perfume the cabin. He picked up the lilies and put them in a vase.

 

He returned to the living room, with the tea tray and vase. He placed the vase and a cup on the side of the frame, and sat on the armchair in front of the fireplace already lit with his cup of tea in hands and moving his bare feet a little closer to the heat of the coal.

 

And so he began to celebrate his grandmother‘s.

 

He looked at the photo for a moment, a smiling woman in her 70s, blonde with blue eyes. Affection appeared in Kurapika's blue eyes and a smile decorated his cheeks. He cleared his throat and with a little whisper said ''How are you?''.

 

Obviously there was no answer, but his mother always told him that he always had to start the conversation. It was very disrespectful to talk to their elders selfishly without asking how they are first. Without evidently obtaining an answer he continued with his conversation. With things like ''I'm fine, in what fits'', ''I miss you and others'', one or two ''I'm sorry'', and ''I hope and everyone is fine''

 

It lasted several minutes like that, with his weak soft voice just talking. A small sweet whisper that escaped his lips. In his mind somewhere behind his head reminded him of the evil presence that invaded his peace and home, but his pride told him that he should not let him ruin his tradition. So although it’s more logical not to speak out loud to avoid being heard, he preferred to continue fulfilling his wishes without caring about him.

 

At one point Kurapika didn’t had anything else to say and just looked at his already empty cup.

 

The anguish wanted invading him.

 

He felt his throat close and his eyes began to burn. He was beginning to feel annoyed, very upset. Although this should be a day of joy for him and his ancestors, he couldn’t stop the bitterness from filling him as always. He started to feel chills down his back and squeezed his eyes. All because he remembered that the murderer of his family was on the same roof as him, safe and sound thanks to himself. All because of cowardice and weakness.

 

A small tear escaped his white cheek and wiped it away with his fingers.

 

He wasn’t going to let his thoughts sink him more than he already was. He got up from the chair and made a small bow to the photo, extinguished the candles and returned to the kitchen. He served himself some beef stew (his mother's recipe) and sat down at the table to eat. Not without first praying silently.

 

He ate slowly, appreciating the nostalgic flavors in his palate, a small fuzzy feeling circling in his stomach. ''  _ Not everything in the past has to be bad _ '', or at least that's what he believed. But bitter memories stormed his conscience, turning off his gaze and dropping his spoon. Any way, he tried to continue eating trying to recover that momentary warmth.

 

When he finished he thought about whether or not to bring soup to the criminal. His first instinct and obvious response was a resounding no. He didn’t want a part of his people to come to him, no matter how minimal. But on the other hand Kurapika wanted to Chrollo to recover soon and there was no more rice left.

 

He chose to make more rice and let it cook in the machine as he washed dishes and arranged the things on the table. When the rice was ready, he served it on the same plate as always and served a large glass of water to take it away.

 

When the blonde came into the room, he was still wearing those traditional clothes that he saw him wear the time they were in YorkShin. It was strange to see him with that tribal garment, and more by the fact that nothing had changed in those 2 almost 3 years. Only his hair, and his gaze, which had become much more dull and heavy. Nothing compared to the agile and awake young man that had met years ago.  

 

Kurapika brought Chrollo’s dinner in hand and he was relieved that he didn’t decide to deny him dinner that night.

 

Although Kurapika was approaching him, he did not look Chrollo in the eye, as usual. The blonde was looking at the window, as usual. He left the plate on the night table, went to the shelf to take a different book from last night and sat in the red chair where he sleeps.

 

Chrollo was thinking that as painful, annoying and torturing as it could be, he could get used to that. Three meals a day (with luck and if he learned how to keep quiet), hot baths, a slow but safe recovery and a roof where he didn’t get cold. It was boring, yes, but better than any other situation.

 

He rested his head on the backrest as best he could, and began to eat slowly. He believed that he had already deciphered at least what region of the map the cabin was in, and according to the weather, the trees and birds that passed through the window, he supposed he was in some small country in the south. Those ones that were more disconnected from the world than connected. He mentally checked his list of countries and there were at least five countries that entered into those characteristics.

 

Not that it was going to serve him much at that point, but most likely in the future it will. But now that he has an idea of where he is, he had plenty of time to think about nothing.

 

He closed his eyes, chewing slowly on the insipid white grain. And in that moment something landed, crazy ideas coming to his head.

 

If there was one thing he would prefer not to do, it was to live with the Kurta. He did not want to get along with the Kurta, but as his situation was, it seemed that he at least needed the blonde to not feel immense desire to kill him every time he saw him. Or something a little more than indifference, something minimally more positive.

 

He swallowed and took another bite. He had to start somewhere. He opened his eyes and turned to see the young man concentrated in his book. His arm was leaning on the chair and his cheek on his knuckles. He kept the book with another hand and broke his pose every time he turned the page. The light from the lamp casted shadows on his features, pointing out how fine they could be. Chrollo even saw the shadow of his long eyelashes stick with his cheeks. And surely the blonde already noticed that he was being observed, but as usual didn’t react to his watch.

 

Chrollo looked down at the book that Kurapika had in his hands and couldn’t help but smirk at the sight of the title. If he was a man of crazy ideas, this was a good example.

 

''Your grandmother was a very beautiful woman''

 

He noticed that the blond's body tensed immediately and his eyebrows came together a little, but still he said nothing. Chrollo thought about trying his luck.

 

''I find it interesting to see how you keep this kind of traditions'' Chrollo said in a casual and soft voice, now looking at his feet between the sheets '' Anyone else in your situation or experience, would leave their traditions for good and burn all traces of past. But you can’t, and that, can be considered respectable'' He looked at the blond with a sideways glance.

 

When Chrollo saw Kurapika, he wasn’t surprised to see the scarlet and intense look that almost crossed him in half.

 

''I'm not interested in your respect'' Kurapika said angrily and barely moving his lips.

 

Chrollo let out another small laugh between his teeth, his chest hurt from the movement ''I understand, but still. It is respectable that you honor your past as it should be. Besides, in my opinion it's a good tradition, which by the way. '' Kurapika felt goosebumps by the comment '' Many people bury their ancestors as deep as possible in their lives to never remember their roots again ''.

 

The blonde had returned his gaze to the book and tried to concentrate. He didn’t want to continue paying attention to the criminal, more by the fact that Chrollo heard one of Kurapika’s more personal activities and that irritated him too much.

 

Small beads of sweat sprouted on the blond's forehead and his clothes felt a little heavier than usual.

 

''Like me'' said Chrollo leaving the plate in the nightstand and drinking his water in two gulps before continuing '' For me it is better to bury unusable memories of the past, as ancestors and family '' he said in a low voice, trying to sound as he didn’t want to be heard, but he knows the blond will listen.

 

''And ... do you do all this with all your relatives or just the closest ones?'' Commented the criminal again with false courtesy trying to make the Kurta keep a conversation with him.

 

Silence.

 

''What was it that you prepared all afternoon? It smelled very good''

 

More silence

 

''Did you have any siblings?'' He asked, pushing his limits a little further.

 

" How about you just shut up?" The blond finally spat with hatred, without leaving his eyes from the pages. Chrollo noticed that he had been on the same page for more than a minute.

 

The criminal let another silence pass, now started by himself. He knew that the Kurta's annoyance made sense, he didn’t really care about his family or what he cooked, but ...

 

'' It must be good to have nice memories of your childhood '' the criminal said looking at the ceiling.

 

There was a moment of silence where Kurapika slowly raised his face completely from the book and stared at Chrollo with red eyes full of hate. '' Pretty? '' He whispered.

 

Chrollo continued to stare at the ceiling.

 

'' Pretty ?! '' followed in almost a shout '' Do you think it was nice to know at age twelve that you were completely alone? Without family, without friends. Nothing''. Kurapika's voice is almost a whisper, but he tried not to start screaming so as not to break his composure too much. But they both knew he was full of hate. Kurapika felt his cheeks burning, his fingers were pressing the book hard between her hands and something small was forming in her throat.

 

He hated that man, with every part of his being. There was nothing else he wanted more than just killing him at that moment.

 

''Knowing that your family is gone'' Kurapika continued ''for something as trivial and ordinary as money ... It hurted me and it marked me for life. Something I do not think you could understand'' Saying the latter with a stronger and safer voice.

 

Chrollo felt a small twitch in his left eye for that last comment.

 

''You have no right to comment on my family'' Kurapika finished.

 

The criminal was still watching the ceiling and Kurapika tired of paying attention to his enemy, he turned back to the page of his book trying to calm his nerves.

 

Then Chrollo very coldly, loud and clear said ''I understand your hate. If I had learned that there was a survivor of your clan, I would have searched for you endlessly until I killed you ... But in the end we did what we did for a job, it wasn’t anything personal. It's not something you're not familiar with. ''

 

Kurapika once again took his eyes off his book, closed it and got up to approach the bed. He stood tall in the face of the criminal, stooping a little and pointing his finger at him in his face with all the scorn he could "You  _ ruined _ my life " and returned to his place.

 

He saw that the blonde took a breath and settled again. Okay, Chrollo got somewhere. He does not know where yet, but at least they had more than 10 words exchanged, better than usual. He almost ended up dead, but that was almost inevitable.

 

Giving the blond a little space, he remained silent again, letting him cool for a while.  If he planned to make advances with him, he had to invest a lot of patience in his fragile temper, while thinking about how to respond.

 

Chrollo couldn’t tell the truth, that the Kurta clan and his family did wasn’t important for him at any point in his life. For him, the massacre was just work and the people separated from him have no value in his judgment. But he could not say that unless he wanted to end up with more bruises than he already had, and a slower recovery.

 

Since he noticed that the Kurta had passed more than 5 pages and his eyes returned to normal  Chrollo said '' I’m just saying that it's good that you respect to your good memories '' without emotion seeing the ceiling '' Not everyone is lucky to have a beautiful childhood like you with parents who loved you and even grandparents who looked for you ''.

 

Kurapika eventually decided to continue ignoring him and Chrollo did not know if that was good or bad.

 

Surrendering a bit, Chrollo kept counting the holes in the ceiling again, playing to see if he could find some peculiar shape in the holes, or how long it would take to throw away all that ceiling just by damaging a circle.

 

He turned back to the blonde that remained focused on his book. Chrollo decided to push his idea a little bit more.

 

''Then ...'' he began with a casual tone again and earning an eye roll form the blonde '' if the subject is difficult for you, why are you reading a book that practically deals with what causes you so much pain? " .

 

It was an honest question, really. Chrollo was sincerely curious about why Kurapika was reading ''  _ Neteweyên Yekbûyî ' _ ' a book about extinct cultures. If it was painful for him to remember his people.

 

Kurapika sighed and lifted his face from the book to see Chrollo again. Too many times for the day to his liking, he was being too talkative and it bothered him. At first he had no intention of responding with the truth, but in reality it is a very important reason for him. And as Chrollo Lucifer one of the most unfriendly people he has ever met, heard him, maybe he would even feel a little bit guilty.

 

''Why do you care?'' Kurapika spat.

 

"It's just curiosity," said Chrollo, somewhat playful seeing how aggressive the Kurta was.

 

Kurapika seemed to think about it but at the end he said " It is substantial to learn about cultures that had passed, and their contributions to our daily lives. I like to give respect to the people that deserved it,  " with the seriousness that he believes the topic deserves, releasing a breath " Besides ... nobody deserves to be forgotten. "

 

Chrollo stopped looking at Kurapika and turned to the moonlight displayed in bed. "We all will be forgotten one day, no matter what we do."

 

Kurapika throws him an annoyed look and said '' It's not like someone like you can understand a feeling like this ... if you have feelings at all. ''

 

Chrollo released a small laugh that made chills creep up Kurapika's neck.

 

''Whatever you say'' ended in a mocking tone.

 

Kurapika kept throwing him ugly and accusing looks, but slowly he returned to where he was in the chapter.

 

''Maybe'' Chrollo interrupted again, and Kurapika looked at him. He looke

d up raising his eyebrow questioningly ''If you lend me the book I could have a better understanding of those  _ feelings _ you talking about ''

 

Kurta's jaw dropped from the comment, not expecting such a request. Maybe a comment attacking the people from the book beliefs, something like people have no value, not ... that.

 

_ '' Why should I give him the book? '' _ the blond thought. That murderer had no right to ask for anything, and neither did Kurapika wanted to give it to him.

 

Kurapika returned his concentration to the book, but, after two attempts to concentrate, he surrendered and put it down. He got up and went to the shelf to take the first book he saw.

 

Chrollo watched Kurapika approach him with a black book on his hands. He extended his arm took it from his hands '' Thank you, '' he said politely and satisfied with himself.

 

Kurapika did not respond and hoped that at least one book could silenced him. If giving the criminal a little luxury meant that he was going to stop trying to create conversations, it was a price he was willing to pay for small moments of peace.

 

So, he returned to his place in the armchair, took the book and continued with his reading. This time managing to concentrate, because Chrollo finally seemed to have lost interest in him.

 

The criminal was relieved to succeed. It was not much, but if he kept seeing the same four walls and nothing else, he was going to go crazy. It was risky, but he got the Kurta to lend him a reading. Something decent to be distracted from the hell he was in. One of a  _ comfortable  _  hell but equally insufferable.

 

He watched the title of the cover '' Theory of Michael Charles. Space and our day by day ''. It looked interesting, he hadn’t heard from that author before, but he hoped it was something decent. The blonde had some titles that he already knew, and other he could respect, so he supposed that his taste was good at minimal.

 

He opened the book on the first page, it was difficult to maneuver with only one arm and the book in his chest, but possible. He couldn’t complain.

 

In the end the two fell asleep very late, Kurapika without changing into his pajamas and Chrollo almost finishing the book lying on his chest.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hii, thank you for reading.  
> Lately my days have been a little bit tough, and that's why i got late updating my fic ( both in spanish and english)  
> I didn't feel so good about my writting in english in this chapter. If there's some interested in beta my chapters I would be very happy to work with them :(. Because as english it's not my first language, some times it's difficult when I start editing them. 
> 
> But in another news, this is one of my favorite chapters because of Kurapika's past. My heart melts every time I imagine my little blond boy in his living just drinkind tea and remembering a past home just because.
> 
> Any way, I leave here [ my tumblr ](https://dirtypawshistorie.tumblr.com/) so you can come and say hi C:
> 
> See you soon!!


	5. Chapter 5

He blinked a couple of times waking up, sunlight hitting his face. He didn't want to wake up immediately. The night had been long, with anguish still jumping through his pores. He didn't remember much of what he dreamt last night, bit he knew it hadn't been pleasant.

He squeezed his eyes and slowly straightened his back on the couch. He took a breath through his nose and pulled it out through his mouth slowly, twice. He rubbed his eyes and stood up. Standing on his toes, he felt the cold floor. He stretched his entire back, then lifted his arms, and turned side-to-side to stretch his back one last time before and dropping his heels.  

He turned to see the intruder of his peace and tranquility who was still asleep in his bed, with the book he had lent him the previous day in his chest. Kurapika frowned slightly in the hope that he could make his guest disappear with only a poisonous glance. But seeing that the man was not going to suffer just by looking at him ugly and that he was actually breathing peacefully in his sleep, he gave up.  

He sighed and thought about taking the book from Chrollo’s chest to put it on the shelf, but he decided he didn’t wanted to touch him for now. He went to the closet to grab a simple change of clothes and take off his clan's clothes. They started to feel like heavy weights and he needed the freedom to wear his loose clothes. He took his grey cotton pants, a basic white T-shirt and got into the bathroom to change.

As soon as the blonde closed the door, Chrollo opened his eyes. Covering his face from the sun, his shoulder hurt. He inhaled and exhaled twice slowly, he felt really tired. He tried to lift his body with his arm. The book fell to the floor, he cursed softly but did not bother to pick it up, since making more movement was annoying and painful. He rested his head on the wall and let out a sigh. His neck hurt from the uncomfortable position. His general immobility and slow recovery brought him an earring, but it was going to be too much to ask the blond to help him with that. Resigned and somewhat frustrated, he stared at the ceiling.

When Kurapika stepped out of the bathroom, their glances crossed for a moment. Keeping eye contact Chrollo said in a dry tone what he said every morning "Good morning".  

Kurapika looked back at the wall and continued walking as if he had heard nothing. In the doorway he heard Chrollo say ''Could you please pass me the book on the floor and another to read?’’ The blond stopped and turned reluctantly with annoyance in his face.

* * *

Kurapika was sitting in the dining room watching the trees dance through the window. He was starting to feel tired, and that put him in a bad mood, obviously. His arms felt heavier than normal, his reflection in the bathroom told him that his dark circles were darker and his energy level was low. Sleeping on the couch for four nights in a row left an uncomfortable tension on his shoulders. He took another sip of his cup. The coffee in his hands didn't seem to have any effect and he organized in his head the list of tasks of that day; he had planned to attend the garden... and it was the only thing he wanted to do that day.  

At the end of finishing his coffee, he closed his eyes with a long sigh and rose to accommodate the dining room chair. The breeze from the window made his fringe itch his eyes and he took the hairband from his wrist to tie his hair in a low ponytail. When he lifted his face, he turned his attention to outside.  

The clouds had covered the rays of the sun, and the gray color highlighted the coldness of the forest. The breeze blew lightly making some leaves dance in a circle.  

Seeing the leaves fall, he had an idea. A small smile appeared on his face, reaching his eyes that were illuminated a little by the emotion. He looked at the clock on the wall "09:13", there was a good weather.  

Quickly he went to his room and noticed that Chrollo had left the book he lent him on the night table, and had gone back to sleep. The whole afternoon of the previous day he did not try to make conversation and it seems that the tiredness of revealing himself in the night took its consequences. Stop thinking about him, he went to the closet to get out some boots and a blue apron. Having everything he needed, he went out onto his porch and left buckets, shovels and rakes on the wooden floor, to crouch in front of the bushes and flowers that decorated his house.  

Some of the sun's rays escaped from the clouds and bathed the grass around his home. The leaves were on the floor because the air had stopped. Feeling some tranquility and with a light smile he crouched in front of his small garden. His collection of plants was varied, decorating the perimeter of his cabin. If someone asked him if he liked gardening, he could say yes with pleasure; it was a habit he learned from his father.  

As a child, his father always told him how important nature is to oneself. Remarking him that the plants are living beings that coexist with all the living beings of the planet, therefore we must respect them and take care of them.  

Years later he learned how photosynthesis works and the true weight of his father's words. That and the sentimental value, made Kurapika take care of her garden like an Eden.

With the cool autumn airs, there were no longer many bees perched on the flowers, and the butterfly season was not until summer. Likewise, Kurapika liked to see the curious buds of the small branches protruding from the earth; he began to feel those little moments of peace he so needed.  

* * *

He was reading the book that the blond lent him in the morning, turning the pages at a steady pace. The characters didn't convince him, but the story was more interesting than letting his thoughts flow.  It seemed that the Kurta was outside the cabin and the room was as it was the night before, without the Fun Cloth in view from the day before. Looks like the bastard finally decided to hide it.  

He didn't want to think about his intentions at the time, so he turned his attention back to history.  

" _ Placidly George posed on the stone, watching his daffodil sing from afar. Among the tumult of faces his was the brightest, face compared to the Adonis and the angels _ ''.

Chrollo closed the book, he couldn't believe the blonde had something like that in his collection. Irritated, he closed his eyes and ignored the noise in his stomach. It shouldn't be past mid-afternoon.

At that moment there was the sound of the door opening, something metallic falling to the floor and a long sigh. Then Kurapika began to make noise in the kitchen, and Chrollo waited for his breakfast to finally be brought to him.  

Fortunately, the blonde entered the room with a plate of rice and a large glass of ice water. He wore an apron and carried the smell of wet earth with him. Chrollo said nothing when he came in and left the food on the bedside table next to him.  

"Finish quickly" said the Kurta as he left the room. Chrollo without speaking or answering him, he settled down ignoring the sharp pains and ate his white rice.  

15 minutes later, Chrollo was drinking from his glass of water when a freezing breeze entered through the window making his skin stand up. Kurapika entered again bringing the smell of food behind him. The criminal left the glass on the nightstand and waited listening to the blonde ride the chair. When a doubt came to his head.

"Doesn't it bother you to bathe me every day?" asked Chrollo in a cold tone. The blond man with his back to him ignored him, busy with the chair; but Chrollo could feel the straight line forming on his shoulders. "It's not a pleasant thing for you or me," he continued bluntly. Kurapika turned around carrying the chair and her gaze showed no emotion, not even discomfort, which was curious. In those 4 days he's been in the cabin, Chrollo still couldn't predict the blonde's mood swings, of course, he could get them to change, but he never knew how he was going to react or what he was going to do.   

Then Kurapika made eye contact with him ''I'm sure you know it's the fastest way to treat open wounds. But if you want to rot slowly, just tell me and I'll speed up the process'' he said with poison.

The criminal remained silent for a moment, studying the angry eyes of the blonde and he with his mask of indifference, but he laid his head back on the pillow quietly saying ''No, thank you. I'm fine like this''

Irritated, Kurapika ran his arms over Chrollo's legs slower than normal. Perhaps by controlling his desire to hang him or because contact disgusted him, Chrollo didn't decide why.

But something caught Chrollo's attention. Something that in other lights (or perhaps because I had never paid enough attention) I had not looked at.

The blond has freckles.

Small freckles on his cheeks and nose, which would go unnoticed in another kind of illumination, but with the light of the sun they came to stand out.  

Kurapika ignoring the criminal's gaze on his face lifted him effortlessly and sat him in the chair to enter the bathroom. He undressed him, put him in the bathtub and controlled the water in such a way that it was neither too cold nor too hot. He grabbed the jar of liquid soap from the shelf, poured it into the water and also shampooed Chrollo's hair. Chrollo

noticed it was a different shampoo than the one he used the day before. The blond ended up giving the bucket to the criminal. He let the bathtub water run and came out.  

* * *

When he finished making food, he came back to take the criminal out of the bathroom. When he entered, he noticed that the water was almost around his neck, but he had managed to turn off the tap. At that moment he found himself with his eyes closed, as he usually did.

He continued walking and uncovered the bathtub so that the water would run through the pipe and took two large towels, this time tucking the criminal in himself, no matter how much repulsion it caused him. He didn't have the energy to expect the criminal to do everything alone, so he decided to help him finish faster. Chrollo decided he wasn't going to question the extra help. He sat him in the chair and they came out of the bathroom. Standing in front of the bed, Chrollo heard the blond say in an annoying tone, "Can you sit on the bed?''

The criminal remained with his face neutral. Even if the question caught him off guard. Unprevented that he even bothered to ask. In the end, he only replied "Not yet" with the same dry tone.

Kurapika let out a sigh of irritation and walked around Chrollo to sit on the bed facing him. He grabbed the underwear that was already folded in the bed and helped him change. Chrollo was not surprised that the blond had enough strength to move his almost dead weight, nor did he let the burning caused by the movement of his muscles show up. But it didn't go unnoticed that the blond wasn't moving him so much as the day before. The blonde didn't seem as upset as he had been in the past. It was evident that he did not appreciate the situation from his frown, but neither did his typical uncontrollable anger.  

" _ Even the hunter lets the prey rest from time to time _ " Chrollo thought with some grace. He was aware that the blond had never let his guard down, but he was celebrating the absence of painful milestones. His hope of not yielding to madness within the four walls increased.  

When he finished changing him into his underwear, Kurapika bent down a bit to take the first-aid kit in the low drawer of the night cabinet. He stretched his body as far as he could and barely managed to open the cabinet. Then with the tip of his fingers he managed to take the edge of the box and straighten up on the bed, all so as not to get up again. He began to look for what was necessary to cure him and bandage him again, taking the things out of the box and putting them in a row on the bed. Chrollo was only looking at what he was taking out with a boring look, familiar with bandages and disinfectants.  

''Sit up and come near me'' Kurapika said to him as he unwrapped a plastic bag with gauze in it.

Chrollo turned to see him, noticing that he was serious, Kurapika was not going to let a day pass from that cabin without pain at least once and how he could use his arm to move the chair, until he hit his feet with the base of the bed. Kurapika turned with things in hand and stooped to approach Chrollo's chest and begin to heal him.  

It even felt like routine, Kurapika checking the progress of the wounds and plugging them afterwards. The blonde didn't like to move much when he did, because he always avoided

getting out of bed. Taking his legs when he occupied to see them, and Chrollo taking air by the nose silently by the pain. Kurapika still watched as his chest was lifted every time he moved it a lot.  

But always when he had to check his shoulder, he chose to get up. Chrollo didn't like it because he knew treating his shoulder was the worst part.  

The first time Kurapika looked at the spider on the criminal's skin, he argued in his head for 2 hours whether he should burn his skin to erase the tattoo completely. He never said it out loud, but it wasn't hard for Chrollo to imagine. Every time the blonde looked at his tattoo he released a scary aura, whether he liked to admit it or not, the criminal was in too weak a position to defend himself from the Kurta's sadism.  

It was rare for the blonde to allow direct skin-to-skin contact, usually avoiding the criminal as if it burned when touched. But at that moment he felt the scratchy touch of his fingers pass through his wound. Chrollo turned to see him with an arched eyebrow. "Do you have to do that?''

"I'm just checking that there's no infection fluids in the wound," he replied bluntly. Frowning and not turning to see, he took the gauze with disinfectant covering the hole of the bullet. What he said was true, but he could not help but feel the satisfaction of knowing that it caused the criminal pain, keeping a smile on his mask.   Chrollo let go of the air he hadn't noticed was holding and chuckled slightly between his teeth. He glanced out the window at blades flying in the wind, Kurapika stopped their features as if they were stone. The criminal found the blonde's cynicism amusing, and said quietly in a low voice watching the green leaves go, "All right, whatever you say''

Kurapika looked up at his face and squinted for a direct mockery. He never found it.  

As soon as he returned to his ice mask, he straightened up to take the white coat from the bed, changed the criminal quickly and lifted him up to leave him in bed again. He put the things from the medicine cabinet in the drawer and threw the empty wrappers in the trash. Chrollo turned a bit in bed to take the book that was on the night table and continue reading. Ignoring how Kurapika took another change of clothes out of the closet, opened and closed the trunk, went in and out of the changed bathroom with the dirty clothes in her arms, a backpack and the slamming of the main door of the cabin.  

* * *

 

He was finishing putting the dummies on the side of his cabin, moving three dummies in a straight line about 3 metres apart.  He went back to the porch by his backpack. He threw it on the floor closer to the dummies and he crouched to open it and see that his knives, kunais and shuriken were there. He closed the backpack again and lifted his arms to stretch his back first.  Moving his shoulders, arms, hips, legs, ankles and neck, he sighed and began to run the perimeter of the trees surrounding his hut.  

 

 Kurapika had almost two months without dedicating a complete afternoon to his training. Even though he was no longer in the action, he appreciated the burn he felt while exercising, and it is never too much not to lose the condition.  

He always started trotting/running for an hour, to warm up his body. He felt the sweat begin to fall down his forehead, as he passed through the window of his room.

He saw the criminal in bed. Chrollo seemed to be absorbed in reading and every time he passed he didn't turn to see him.

He stopped by his backpack to take the water that was inside it and took a small sip, wiping the water that fell from the edge of his mouth with his forearm.  

As his hair began to stick to his neck and get in the way, he picked it up in a tall tail, while crouching to pull out a dozen shuriken that he kept in a small green cloth bag. Tying the bag to the edge of his black pants, he took a breath, channeled into the sole of his feet and jumped as high as he could. Spinning in the air he threw a blast of shuriken at the dummies. He ended up with his back to the opposite side of the mannequins, as he turned he saw that only one shuriken had touched the ground and the others were scattered in the vital points of the dummies. With a small side smile on his face, he approached to remove the shuriken from the mannequins and continue his workouts.  

____________  

He closed the book and left it on the furniture. The story began to take pace and the outcome was approaching, but he wanted to take a short break before finishing and watching the sunset through the window. Only the blond jumping and attacking with a clean fist the last dummie standing hindered his view of the sky.  

That training, that day, turned out to be the first time he saw the bastard demonstrating part of his strength in front of him and being far enough away to study his movements and decisions. He had to admit that it did compare to his own strength and that it made sense for him to take the life of his dear friend. The blonde was precise, with impeccable technique, but his quick decision making made everything connect much better than it would normally connect. All his blows were right and logical, and you could tell he was a natural strategist. The criminal felt a burn in his chest but did not look away and continued to study it.  

Perhaps in another situation, at another time, scene or universe, he would have invited the blonde to be part of his team. According to their rules, you have to kill a member in combat to get in. He did not kill one, but two of its members, earning all the right to belong to the Troop.

Luckily that was not the case, he would never invite him even if his life depended on it and he enjoyed his position as an enemy more than as an ally.  

The blonde blew the dummie's head off with a punch and finally seemed to have finished training. Chrollo knew that all that last exercise was brute force without a baby and he was impatient for the Kurta to return to the hut. His stomach roared again.  

He grabbed the book again when he heard the door open and resumed his reading to wait for dinner to be served. Seconds later the blond entered the room with the backpack on his shoulder, all sweaty skin and reddish cheeks. The criminal only raised his gaze a little from the book, to return it and said pretending cordiality ''You're quite talented''. Chrollo wasn't expecting an answer, but-

''I think I said I didn't mind having your respect'' the blonde said with poison as he closed the trunk too tightly. He did not appreciate the naturalness with which Chrollo was allowed to speak to him.

A small smile appeared on Chrollo's face because of the blonde's hostility to any exchange of words, but he couldn't avoid it, he simply needed something more to amuse himself with. And Kurapika's reactions always made him laugh at his lack of patience. It's true that he doesn't like the blond's company either, but he needed much more than a simple prayer to show his annoyance. In any case he continued with his reading without saying more, allowing Kurapika to enjoy the silence.  

Kurapika was glad that the criminal kept his answer and entered the bathroom. The sound of the door lock turning gave him a little more peace of mind. He felt somewhat stupid because he was in no danger, but Chrollo's sight on his bed with his old clothes tangled between his sheets reading quietly made him want to vomit.  

He released the door handle, turned on the light and his reflection appeared in the darkness. Ignoring his disheveled hair and the dirt on his face, he went to the shower and turned the knob. The water shot to the floor and Kurapika reached in to check her temperature as she moved the knob. Some corrosion stains stretched across the white tile wall, the blonde made a mental note that he had to wash the bathroom that week. His gaze was lifted from the water faucet to the ceiling to check its condition, slowly descending to know how far the dirt has come. When he got to the bathtub key, he was watching for a few seconds.

He ducked and hit the pushbutton hard, causing the water to be cut off from the shower and the tub to start filling up. That night he was going to take a well-deserved bubble bath.   

In a lighter mood he turned and undressed, staying in his underwear, tossing dirty laundry into the basket behind the sink. The steam began to fog the mirror as it searched the shelves for a basket, grabbed a bottle of lavender-colored liquid, a white ball and three pink scented candles. He threw the cue ball into the water, bubbles popping up. He squirted soap into the water changing the color. He lit the candles and put them on the edge of the bathtub next to the wall. He turned off the light and finished undressing.  

I walk in the dark, first tucking one foot in to test the temperature. He changed the temperature to as hot as possible and went into the water.  

He sighed slowly as he reclined, closing his eyes. A smile adorned his face as he gladly took a breath through his nose, perceiving the scent of mint and lemon. He moved his fingers and toes relaxing with the bubbles of the water and its temperature. Kurapika had months without pampering herself so much, with the excuse that there was no need to waste so much time for a single bath. I couldn't remember how quiet a good bath in the bathtub would feel.  

All he could see were the three candlelights. The sounds of the outside were censored by the four walls and the steam entering the pores of his face relaxed him.

He opened his eyes and raised his foot so that only his toes came to the surface, bursting into the bubble meadow. Gusto adorned his face and tilted his head slightly, bending first the big finger, then the next and so on until the boy arrived. He liked the feeling of being in the water, how it became light as a feather. He breathed in exaggeratedly, covered his nose and submerged his head. He held his breath as long as he could, and almost a minute later he took a breath, leaning back against the wall.  

The smile on his face never left. 

_____________  

Approximately 40 minutes had already passed, the moon lit the grass, the angry crickets could be heard from the outside and Chrollo had already finished the book. He didn't bother to turn on the light at night and was looking at the ceiling as usual in complete darkness.  

Until now he knew that he was in the woods of a country he didn't know. The possibility of seeing someone pass by the cabin was low. There was no stretch of road that led to any city or town that he remembered. But he knew that some kind of civilization must to exist in the vicinity because of the day before that Kurapika returned with bags and souvenirs. If the blonde lived in solitude it is because he didn’t want to stay in the town or city. The bastard decided to live as a hermit... nothing too surprising.  

His health worried him. His muscles still hurt a lot but he knew that little by little he could move more. Today he managed to lean his shoulders a little against the backrest, enduring the heat. What brought him with slope was the situation of his ankles; the minimum movement of these burned. When the blonde changed his bandages, he noticed they were still swollen. He ended up trying to remember his last fight by looking for any indication that someone had attacked with his skin, but found nothing.

He inhaled, exhaled and covered his eyes with his wrist. Then he rubbed the bridge of his nose and let out another sigh.   

The bathroom door was opened, illuminating the room with white light. Kurapika came out drying her hair with a towel and steam following. Chrollo's nostrils breathed twice concentrating on the change in the air; fresh, it was mint.

The criminal followed the blonde with his gaze as he left the room, leaving the bathroom light on. Chrollo noticed the sound of skin against wood and noticed that Kurapika was barefoot. I was sure the floor should be cold, but since he woke up there, I had never seen the blond with shoes. He was barefoot all the time.  

The roar of his stomach reminded him of the discomfort he felt and he threw his arm back to cover his eyes, waiting for the blond to be in a mood to give him a little more rice than usual.  

In the kitchen on the other hand, Kurapika was hunched over in the refrigerator thinking "What should I eat?". He brought a hand to his chin as he checked what he could do with

what he had. A breeze of air entered through the window and shook the chills from his shoulders, leaving the towel on a chair.  

He finally pulled out a bottle of milk with a sideways smile. He put the milk to boil and took out of the cabinets cocoa powder, sugar, cinnamon powder and peanut butter. That night I was going to have a loose dinner but fill it up.  

With his hands on his hips in front of the stove he tilted his head a little from side to side as he stirred the chocolate milk. Some music would do him good, turning off the stove he turned the rice machine and squinted deliberately whether to bring him dinner or not. Grunting with annoyance, he served rice on a larger than normal plate and filled a pitcher with water.

A as he could walked to the room with the jug between his arm and rib, a glass in one hand and the plate with a fork stuck in the rice in the other. Luckily he didn't have doors in his room and kitchen.

He walked slowly into the room, watching as Chrollo removed his arm from his face as he heard him enter. The blond concentrated on not letting the jug slip by looking where he walked with the bathroom light, ignoring the criminal's gaze on him. Leaving everything on the bedside table, he turned on the lamp and put his arm in the bathroom to turn off the light.  

The criminal breathed a sigh and leaned against the wall, leaving the plate on his chest and the fork in hand began to eat. When he realized that the Kurta was going to leave the room he lifted his fork and swallowed his first bite, he said kindly ''Could you pour me the water, please?''.  

The blonde turned slowly and had that same gullible face from the day before when he asked if he could borrow a book. His eyebrow arched and his mouth a little open as if he wanted to say something. Then he closed it relaxing his eyebrows, but narrowed his eyes annoyedly and nodded. I preferred at that moment to go with the flow and not make everything more complicated. Although he hated the man in front of him, he knew that it was easier to serve him water than to risk it falling and getting everything wet.  

When he passed the glass to the criminal he was greeted with penetrating eyes that looked at him with curiosity, took the glass in his hands and gave a small ''Thank You'' in a low voice.  

Kurapika with a bored look ignored him and returned to the kitchen to serve herself his cup of hot chocolate and his peanut butter sandwich with banana.  

* * *

 

Although he had already taken a cup, Kurapika entered the room slowly toward the sofa. His red wool trousers were a bit big and he was stepping on them from behind, but that didn't stop him from bringing his cup of chocolate almost to the edge. He'd already cleaned his dirty dishes and Chrollo's. The last one was looking at the covers of the book he was reading.  

He put the chocolate on the armchair and walked to his small bookstore to pick out that night's book. One of his favorites told him to read it for six times and he took the book. He

ran his fingers through the relief of the golden text that read ''Oscar Wilde, The Portrait of Dorian Gray'' in golden italics. He nodded with a small smile on his face.

"Hey" heard the blonde and rolled his eyes.  

''What?'' he said without turning around.

"Could you pass me another one?" said the criminal kindly.

Shrugging his shoulders, he took the first book he saw and turned around. Kurapika found the lack of sarcasm in the criminal's tone strange, but decided not to give it any importance. Everything that had to do with that man wasn't his problem.  

He threw the book in his lap where he could reach it and sat on the couch. Realizing that he forgot to turn on the stereo, he took his cell phone and looked up the Bluetooth settings in the menu.  

"I'm very surprised at your collection," Chrollo casually said as he leafed through the book on his chest.  

Kurapika ignored him but the criminal followed.  

I find it very interesting that you made the choice to read a book like this'' he said raising the book ''Theory of space and physics, but before this you passed me a book of medieval cliché novelty'' and let out a soft laugh.

Kurapika turned to see him for a moment, somewhat surprised, he had not realized that he had passed that book to Chrollo. That novel was something he had accepted out of courtesy but had learned to appreciate for its cursility and depth.  

Most of his books have black covers and were plain with nothing written on the covers. That book was one of those with nothing on it and when he passed it to the criminal he didn't give a damn about what was written in it. But he only lifted his shoulders unimportant and unanswered, and looked back at his cell phone. Why didn't it connect the damn stereo?  

Chrollo chuckled at the blonde's reaction, causing Kurapika to shiver again, and went on quietly ''There's nothing wrong with varying from time to time''.

"I told you I don't care what you think," said the annoyed blond.  

"Yes, it's okay," said Chrollo politely and fell silent.  

Kurapika noticed again that the criminal kept his mockery to himself but did not give it any importance. When he finally managed to connect the cell phone to the stereo, he turned to see the criminal who was concentrating on the book. He was surprised that instead of the sadistic nature of bothering him to the best of his ability, he kept quiet and accepted that the blonde didn't want to hear from him. Yes, it was logical what he did, but still nothing that man did was logical. Everything was of his own free will.

That's why it seemed stranger.

 

 The page was heard turning in Chrollo's chest.

Anyway, he wasn't going to concentrate too much on that man's reasoning. He chose his favorite violin and piano playlist, took his mug with one hand and his book with another and began with the prologue.

That night Kurapika fell asleep first and Chrollo ended up watching the fireflies illuminating the room.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I came back  
> Sorry to last so long  
> This chapter is fun  
> Sorry for any incongruences in the redacting, I did my best :( Any questions, you can tell me  
> Here's [ my tumblr ](https://dirtypawshistorie.tumblr.com/) so you can tell me how of a little shit i am QnQ


	6. Chapter 6

The windows opened and closed by the strong winds brought by the storm.  

In bed, Chrollo stretched his arm as far as he could to grab the sheets and cover himself. Unable to do so, he took the pillow by his side and threw it at the end of the bed to cover his feet.  

In the main room Kurapika opened the front door, letting in some drops and dry leaves. He was getting inside the pot of his most fragile plants, then some chairs and at the end his wind bell (the sound always became annoying when it rained). When he finished, he wiped the sweat and water from his forehead and walked to the center of the room to light the chimney in order to heat the cabin a little. As he added more wood to the fire and warmed his hands in front of the flames, he heard the window of his room open and close.

When he entered his bedroom, he saw that Chrollo stretched his arm to the sheets on his feet and that a pillow was on the floor at the edge of the bed. Rolling his eyes, he went to the window and closed it with the pin. Then he went to the closet, took out two blankets from the last drawer and put one on the base of the bed and the other on the red armchair.

"Thank you" it was the only thing the criminal said, tucking the sheet around his neck.  

Kurapika said nothing. He grabbed a towel, a change of clothes and went into the bathroom. He didn't last 10 minutes when he opened the bathroom door, with the towel on his shoulders and his wet hair dropping small drops of water, wearing a red robe that reached below his knees and hot steam following behind him. He went out into the kitchen and Chrollo could see the sole of his red feet.

Chrollo turned his attention back to the book he was about to finish. He had been reading that book since the previous day, and to his surprise, he was able to learn one or two new theories about stars in the sky.  

A few minutes passed and he closed the now finished book. Putting it aside, he looked at the bookshelf looking for what to read next. At the bottom of the furniture there was a title that had been calling his attention from the others for a while. The book had white letters written on his back, in a language he learned years ago. If he wan’t misreading, it was the biography of one king from a society that had been lost decades ago, whose contribution to science at the time was somewhat venerated; but the king was overthrown by the his own lover, in vengeance for having separated him from his family.  

Chrollo had searched for that book many times in various places, but the volumes were few and he always found better things to steal, so he had never decided to really get it. The good thing is, now he was lucky enough to be able to read it.

When Kurapika entered his room he had his blue cup in hand and a small white cushion seat in the other. Putting his tea down on the night table, he unfolded the blanket on the couch and arranged the bench in front of him. Chrollo seized the moment and cleared his throat. But as usual, Kurapika ignored his presence. Knowing he wasn't going to get anywhere by being subtle, he just said, "Could you please pass me the biography of King Kuna Kapono?  

 

A bolt of lightning struck in the sky and through the forest, illuminating the room just as Chrollo had finished speaking. Kurapika turned as the light disappeared and thunder echoed through the walls. He had a look of contempt and grime, with an arched eyebrow and his upper lip slightly raised by disgust. The criminal was irritated and fought as hard as he could to not roll his eyes.  

The blond acted too stuborn even to the criminal's liking, and he immediately resigned himself that he was not going to get anywhere that night. Chrollo knew it made sense for the Kurta to be like this, but that doesn't mean it was easy to get used to things no longer being the way that he says.

Silently and with his false courtesy face, he extended his arm giving him the book he had finished. Kurapika looked at the book and for a second looked at the object as if it had some kind of deadly virus, but quickly changed his face to the same mask of indifference that Chrollo had. He grabbed the book, went to his personal library and went back to the armchair; without grabbing a book for him or passing one to Chrollo.  

Chrollo resigned, lowering his head onto the pillow and feeling his neck resting. He raised his healthy right arm, and watched his skin with the low light of the night lamp. His skin seemed paler than normal, and some bruises had taken on darker shades of purple. He grasped and opened his hand several times and dropped his arm slowly. He turned to see the blond, who had his gaze on the window and the cup on his lips, grasping it with both hands. Chrollo also turned to the window looking at the rain outside.  

Green leaves flew between the drops and the wind, the rays illuminating its surroundings and the roar of thunder making their chests tremble. The criminal took a deep breath and pushed himself to lie sideways towards the window, with his back to the blond. The position made his ribs hurt a lot, but he was getting used to it. In addition, he preferred the view of the window, rather than that of the roof or the blond behind him.  

With another thunder rumbling in the cabin, Chrollo closed his eyes and immediately went to sleep.

* * *

Rain drops began to knock harder against the window and Kurapika immediately went to close the main door so that the water would not enter his living room. When he closed it, he returned to the kitchen to finish cutting the vegetables for his meal. The rain continued from the previous night, slowly losing intensity, but just in the middle of the day returned with more force.

As he sliced the carrots, he began to remember the times when he didn’t had any idea about cooking. Remembering his Hunter exam, when for him just putting a pig in an oven was enough to be presented as a fine dish. A small smile appeared at the thought of his ignorance.  

The truth was that Kurapika never has been one to be worried about everyday things. When he was a child, he only thought about exploring an unknown world, and in the following years, he only thought of the thirst to fulfill his vengeance desire no matter what. His way was to just everything about eating, bathing and changing in a simple and humble way, as comfortable and practical as possible.  

Though since his mission on the Dark Continent ended, when at last his mind could afford more than just revenge, he began to appreciate the small details of everyday life.  

When Kurapika first arrived in Veronica village, the first business he entered was a traditional food restaurant.  He told the waitress that any dish was fine, and she ended up serving him the best dish Kurapika had ever tasted. An extra large plate of miso soup with floating dumplings ended up with in his then bursting stomach, a pair of flushed cheeks and a big smile. He ended up returning to the same restaurant every Friday, serving him something different on every occasion. The owners became fond of him for his compliments and thanks. So much, that they invited him to learn from their kitchen; so Kurapika ended up working with them for 4 months.  

Back to reality, the broth began to boil and Kurapika quickly poured the prepared vegetables, sprinkled some spices and covered the pot. He walked to the refrigerator to get the meat and dough out. The floor froze his toes, the embers in the chimney were no longer enough to warm his cabin, and the rain kept knocking on the windows.  

As the weather felt icy and the past couple of days had not been the best of his life, Kurapika decided to indulge sinfully and cool his favorite meal: Miso soup, with floating dumplings. He knew, that he had become the kind of person which mood would improve if he ate a big meal, usually with a lot of calories.  

He was obviously aware of his diet, and he had a nutritious regimen. Steamed meats, brown and white rice, preservative-free products and lots of fruits and vegetables. But from time to time Kurapika wanted something more filling, something that satisfied him in every way. Although it was the second high-calorie meal he ate in the week, he thought he had a very good reason to let myself be spoiled a little longer than necessary.  

Remembering his ‘’problem’’ per say, Kurapika turned to look cuckoo clock on the wall, which marked twenty minutes until 2:00 pm. He finished cutting and stretching the dough for the dumplings and opened the cupboards to bring out a deep plate. He served four tablespoons (one tablespoon more than normal) of rice  into the dich, grabbed a glass of water and took it to Chrollo.  

When Kurapika entered his bedroom, he found Chrollo still asleep in his bed. Latel, he has been sleeping more constantly and from time to time, tried to make casual conversation. But never passes more than three attempts. Kurapika remembered that last night Chrollo had asked him for a biography of King Kuna Kapono.  

_ "How dare he ask for a specific book?"  _ thought the blonde.

Lending him his book collection was a simple favor so as not to have him in an inhuman condition, but that did not give him the prestige to order which and in what order the criminal wanted the books. It was too much to just lend him in his cabin, his clothes, his medicine, his bed, his belongings and apart from that, his books; how could the bastard dared to ask him for more? Who the hell did he think he was?

As he walked toward the bed, Chrollo opened his eyes and turned his head to look at him, he had that courteous facade that disgusted him so much and a sleepy sigh. With a false smile Kurapika heard him say, 

 

"Thank you very much," as he extended his arm towards the plate. Kurapika passed by to leave the plate on night table and left the room. But before leaving, he watched how Chrollo maneuvered his food on his chest and couldn't help but feel a little satisfied to watch him uncomfortable. To see his greatest and most powerful enemy, who for so many years tried to assassinate, reduced to a task as simple and easy as eating being complicated for him; he could not avoid it, it was satisfactory.  

However, Kurapika only left the room, with something better in mind than seeing his own bed being invaded.

* * *

The raindrops had become small touches on the glass. Kurapika had finished cleaning the kitchen waiting for the broth to boil again. Deciding that it was enough, he turned off the stove and uncovered the pot. Steam flooded his face, causing him to inhale deeply; pork and mushrooms, the aroma made his mouth water.

He combed his hair in a high bun to maneuver better with his food, he removed the black apron and placed it on the chair. He decided to accompany his meal with an iced green tea with lemon and water.  He was finishing serving his food when he looked through the window, hearing another thunderstruck through the forest. The rain was now calm but with a lot of thunder still, it also seemed that the wind had stopped blowing so hard. Kurapika approached the door and stepped out onto the porch.

Outside, small puddles of water adorned the lawn, the forest looked deep and eternal, with sunlight covered by clouds giving a quiet environment to the rain. Even the drops seemed to fall to the ground gracefully. He came a little closer to the wood edge, where the wooden roof stopped and glanced at his garden. Everything seemed to be intact, and he noticed that some of his flowers had bloomed.  

He went back inside to take out the table and chair that were in the living room, set up the little windblow on the edge of the porch and went into his room to take out his stereo. Realizing Chrollo was back asleep.

Returning to the porch with everything set up outside, he returned to the kitchen for his meal. The soup was still hot and the tea was very icy. On a tray he arranged everything, grabbed it and went out onto the porch. The leaves of the trees were scattered on the lawn of his courtyard, the tall trees of the forest seemed to have agreed to remain silent, and only hear the raindrops fall. He left the tray on the table, and tufts of hair got in the way of his gaze, so he straightened up to comb his hair again in a low ponytail. To finish, he arranged the plate and glass in front of the wooden bench, overlooking the darkness of the forest.  

He sat down and moved his feet a bit to feel the cold water stick to his skin that had been collected on the floor. He felt chills running down his back and grabbed his red chopping sticks (Gon's gift) taking a large portion of his bright noodles that contrasted against the gray light of day. He blew the noodles a little and took a big bite in his mouth.  

He couldn't help but show a smile as he felt the flavors explode in his mouth. He always loved the taste of garlic, soy and miso. His cheeks reddened and he closed his eyes taking another bite, enjoying the saucer as best he could. From time to time the rushing of the

wind created whistles that would frighten a five year old, winds that moved the heights of the trees, but Kurapika remained warm with his saucer, accustomed to the sound that always happened at night. The dose of spice had gone a little too far, and small drops of sweat gathered on his forehead. Little by little he emptied his plate more, passing through vegetables, peppers, pork, an egg, etc. Always leaving the best in the end, which were the dumplings. 

 

He was very grateful to Mrs. Mei at the restaurant for teaching him so much. From time to time he would think of the days when he would travel from village to village with no destination, only learning from the culture of the people. Although there were nights where he only ended up sleeping uncomfortably in a tree, there were others where he could live for a day with families who opened their hearts to a kind stranger who did small chores for a meal or a minimum wage (His hunter's money was important funds for him, and as he was never going to practice again he dedicated himself to work and spend at the time). 

 

He still remembers the day he arrived to Veronica Village and the people practically welcomed him with open arms. When little by little he learned to take care of plants and to cook his own food. Thinking about the ladies he met at the market, who always reminded him how ''beautiful'' his hair was, or the older gentlemen who thanked him (always surprised) for carrying for them something heavy.

 

Thunder was heard and the sky illuminated accordingly. The wind began to blow a little louder and the leaves on the porch began to move between his feet. Kurapika looked at the edge of his porch and his flowers moving, his plate was still half full. He drank a little of his tea and got up to enter the cabin.   

Going to his room, he went to the bookcase to look underneath his stereo. Chrollo was still asleep, but that didn't stop Kurapika from bringing the stereo into the living room, opening the window overlooking the porch, turning it on at a high volume and play his music.

He had his back to his room in the door frame, but he still felt how Chrollo opened his eyes abruptly by the sound of piano notes in the air, feeling a little satisfaction. Kurapika returned outside, sat down and took another big bite of noodles, as he hummed the song in the background a bit.  

 

* * *

 

The rain had returned to a strong pace and Kurapika was tying the window handles because it kept opening and closing with the wind. When he finished, he washed the dishes and ended up storing the rest of the food that was left in the pot in containers for the refrigerator. He still had some tea left, so he put the rest of what was left in the pitcher in a glass and walked to his room.  

The cuckoo clock marked past 4:00 pm.  _ "I should start the physical therapy today,"  _ thought the blonde.  

But as soon as the idea of having to help the criminal came to his head, his chest contracted and he had to control his breathing. Even when It was himself who got him into that mess, he himself had to come out of it with his head held high, but yet it still disgusted him.

With heavy feet but head held high, he entered his room and saw that the black-haired man had turning his back on him. In the window the rain hit the glass and it seemed that was what entertained the criminal. He assumed it was painful for him to hold that position when he saw the tension on his shoulders, but it was his decision to do so.

On the other hand when Chrollo heard Kurapika enter, he closed his eyes pretending to be asleep. He didn't want to deal with the blonde at the time, because that wasn't the best of his days. He had spent the whole afternoon watching only the rain fall, and when he had finally been able to sleep, the blond put his music to full volume even when knowing he was asleep.

But as he knew that nothing about him mattered to the blond, it didn't come in case that he faked something, because Kurapika said to him in a serious voice ''Hey''.

Chrollo didn't answer.  

''I know you're awake'' said the blond taking another sip of his tea. ''Turn around''.  

The criminal breathed a sigh and as soon as he could, he laid with his face to the roof. Kurapika approached the bed and left the tea on the night table. And to Chrollo's surprise, he grabbed his left forearm lightly and began to stretch it.  

The pain was still intense, and his shoulder still felt like it was burning. But the blonde moved his arm up, then down. Then he took his wrist and slowly turned his arm from side to side. Chrollo didn't want to look at his sadistic enemy face, so the criminal just saw the holes in the ceiling. One of them seemed to be about to leak.  

But Kurapika wasn't really in the mood to enjoy Chrollo's pain. The therapy seemed tedious and annoying, and he didn't enjoy touching the criminal. But it was necessary to be moving the injured joints if he wanted him to recover quickly and preferably smoothly so as not to generate much more stress on them. Chrollo's pale skin was marbled with violet and green bruises, the criminal's face was still yellowish and some sweat had collected on his forehead.  

"Bend your knee," Kurapika ordered in a dry tone.  

At that moment, Chrollo did turn to see him, with a look without emotions but making it clear that he didn't like the situation at all. And slowly he brought his knee up, feeling the black robe fall little by little. He hated feeling that way, so vulnerable and exposed, showing so much flesh. Yet the blond made no eye contact, only went straight to the calf and lifted his leg. Chrollo felt his muscles burn while the blond did practically the same thing with his leg as he did with his arm; lift it up, lower it and twirl it a few times. In the end, Kurapika grabbed his ankle and couldn't help but take a breath of air through his nose.  

The ankle was always the worst. He remembers thinking at one point in those six days of confined hell, that his ankles were completely dislocated. It wasn't sure, but what was for sure was that the Kurta also knew that it hurt a damn much, so he took advantage and Chrollo felt a little more pressure on his ankle than on his wrist, just for the fun of it and make him suffer. Chrollo took another breath as Kurapika left his ankle on the bed to take another sip of his tea, pretending to be innocent.  

When Kurapika finished moving the other leg, he stood next to him again and without Chrollo expectating for it, he held his right shoulder and slowly began to sit him as he did when they went to the bathroom. Only this time the wheelchair was folded to the side of the couch and the criminal didn't know exactly where Kurapika was going with all that. He even turned his body to sit down and counted ''one, two, three'' helping him stand up.  

He felt his legs weak immediately, and his blood tingling in his veins. Chrollo was going through immense pain, but he did not give the blond the satisfaction of having it noticed. However Kurapika without saying another word, just put his arm around his shoulders serving as support.

The entire minute Chrollo stood up with his eyes closed, clearly concentrating. Kurapika with his gaze off, only counted the seconds until it was over, and when he reached the mark of the sixty second mark, he sat the criminal back on his bed  

Searching the drawer of the night table, Kurapika pulled out a small white block and opened it. Chrollo noticed the strong herbal smell and turned to see the blond just as he was applying the ointment to his knees and calves. Looking at the blond's expressionless face, he came to the conclusion that whatever he had prepared to eat, it put him in a mood enough to give a little treatment to his wounds without taking so much advantage of his pain, something he could appreciate.

‘’Thank you'' Chrollo said coldly while Kurapika put some ointment on his left arm.

His blond bangs were covering almost half of his face, so Chrollo only saw Kurapika’s mouth move when he heard him say ''Getting up and leaving my cabin, to die alone in the darkness of the forest would be enough thanks to me'' in a dry tone.

Chrollo couldn't help but burst out a little laugh as he laid his head all the way on the pillow, unresponsive because even him wanted to be able to just do leave. 

 

Even when it became amusing to see the Kurta who so swore revenge and death to him, to take care of him. But Chrollo hated the state he was in. How the blonde makes his stay in the cabin torturably irritating and how everyday is a constant argument. Because it doesn't matter how many times Chrollo tried to just be false and pretend that they didn't hate each other to death for the sake of living together in peace. No, Kurapika was an obnoxious man who used every second he could to remind him of something he already knows; that he hates him to death, but not enough to let him die seriously.  

Chrollo rolled his eyes and covered his sight with his healthy arm, trying to concentrate on the sound of the rain; not on some blonde’s calloused hands to raise his robe to heal the wounds of his stomach with ointment.

* * *

The sensation of warmth in his arms and legs relaxed him as the singing of crickets at night lightened his recent migraine. A thin sheet wrapped around his ankles, protecting them from the cold window air. The contrast between warm and icy skin caused him a pleasant freshness, improving his mood a bit.  

 

He saw the shadow of the Kurta approaching through the open door frame, entering with his pajamas on and a set of newspaper papers in hand. He walked to the sofa and sat down elegantly, crossing his legs and carrying papers in front of his face. It was strange to Chrollo not to see him with his blue cup in his hands, but he noticed that he had a pen in his right hand.  

Ignoring Chrollo's gaze, Kurapika began reading a sentence in low voice ''Solar God, son of Poseidon and Canace. He was worshipped on the promontory Triopion, near the nest.''

 

Kurapika mouthed his pen thoughtfully, trying to remember everything he knew about Greek mythology. When he remembered who the crossword was talking about, he nodded a little for himself and whispered, "Of course, Triopas.  

He has had that paper in the kitchen since last week. With everything that happened those days with the criminal and his invasion, he didn't remember that he had a crossword puzzle to solve. For Kurapika, when you spend your days living miles away from civilization, without much technological entertainment, just a cell phone that only serves to play music and make calls, hobbies become part of the routine. Kurapika discovered that he enjoyed solving complicated crosswords, discovering new concepts or characters.  

The crickets gradually sang more and the night became darker. He took the folded wool sheet on the wooden floor and covered his legs, feeling the soft cloth on the soles of his feet. At that moment, the blond had a streak of solving 6 questions in a row without the need to investigate with his books. The good mood of the afternoon returned little by little. Touching Chrollo had left him with a migraine and nausea, the aroma of the ointment and the taste of his ramen mixed into his palate leaving a bad taste. But a good run in his crossword puzzles was always pleasant.

The problem was that he got to the seventh question, and he couldn't help but feel lost. Arching an eyebrow, he brought the paper a little closer to his face as if that way helped him remember faster. He reread the question in his mind, carried the pen to his cheek thinking, but could remember nothing. Releasing a sigh he moved on to the next question, which he was able to answer without problem.  

From question to question, he answered the rest without problem. Normally that would have been the time for him to go get his coffee, finish another book and go to sleep, but question seven was still blank and made it him frown annoyed. He went over the question in his mind, folded the sheet on his legs and got up to look for his mythology book on the shelf.

He found the black cover book on the bottom, opened it and searched his index where to start, but he couldn't find anything. For 5 minutes he stood with the book in his hand looking for the answer, but nothing. Searching the internet was something impossible in that area, and also he couldn't go to the village library at that time.  

Sighing, he closed the book and returned to his chair. He took the paper again and started thinking one last time. He checked that all past questions were correct, they were. His head was starting to hurt again, he made a small growl and let his hair loose. He went back to question seven and read it again. It was a five-letter word, and with a very extensive explanation. 

 

Without realizing it, he muttered ''Trojan hero, son of Priam, king of Troy, and of Hecuba. When Hecuba was on tape of him, he dreamt that he was giving birth to a firebrand that was to set fire to the city of Troy. The augurs who interpreted the dream advised the death of the newborn to the king, but the mother limited herself to abandoning him on Mount Ida''.

Kurapika felt that he had heard that story before, the problem was that he couldn't remember whose.  

"Paris" said a calm voice.

His eyes narrowed and he slowly lowered the paper from his face ''Priam's son was Deifobo'' said Kurapika dryly.  

With his hand on his face Chrollo replied ''He and five others''.

With a frown he tried to remember, the blonde turned to the crossword and effectively, P A R I S fit in the spaces. He was frustrated by not remembering something like this when he spent two months reading only about Greek mythology. He let out a tired sigh and folded the paper between his hands. He got up to go to the night table to turn off the light and leave the newspaper in the drawer. Back on the couch he snuggled himself on a corner of the sofa, grabbed the sheets covering him up and closed his eyes, squeezing them a little trying to relax and finally sleep.  

''Come on, don't feel bad'' Chrollo told him ''Your intelligence won't be harmed just because you don't know a useless piece of information'' he continued in a hoarse voice into the air 'Even I can admit that you're one of the smartest people I know.''

Stranged and offended, Kurapika opened his eyes trying to look for Chrollo’s face, but up in the sky there was a new moon and his room was completely dark ''Shut up, I don't want to hear you''.  

There was a soft mocking laugh between the walls. "What? It's just the truth.’’  

''I'm not interested, shut up'' the Kurta spat out with annoyance. He lifted the blanket up to his neck and bent his legs so as not to touch the floor.  

"Anyone can see it. Outstanding among the group of zodiac monkeys, in addition to achieving alone your great passionate goal,'' the criminal said with a serious tone.  

There was a small moment of silence in the room, and Chrollo thought the blonde decided to ignore him again.  

"What could you possibly know about me? A filthy criminal who is not interested in anything beyond himself'' Kurapika mumbled, with much hatred in his voice.

‘’ That's something not just anyone could accomplish, and I'm not surprised that you did ‘’

Kurapika was upset, he did not like the criminal talking so calmly about his clan. So he hatefully replied "I don't care what you think’’

"It's only the truth,"

 

Kurapika felt his blood boil, everything about his clan was a game for Chrollo. He didn't even have trouble talking about his sins and crimes, not even because now the Kurta is taking care of him and avoiding his death.  

"Like I told you," Kurapika said with an angry voice. " I'm not interested in the opinion of a person as unhappy and filthy as you.’’

The air around him felt more icy, and little by little Kurapika felt his chest contract with more hatred. He could see a bit of the criminal silhouette in his bed with his hands on his face, he didn't seem to be affected at all by the situation. So indifferent, without any emotion; worthy of a monster.

However, almost as a whisper that Kurapika only managed to hear him by the closeness and silence of the forest.

"Do you really think you're better than me?’’ the criminal asked him.

With that, Kurapika felt the rage run and in a second, he was next to him with his bokken Chrollo’s  neck, ready to press and end his life at that moment.

"What did you say?" said the mumbled blond.  

"What you heard" answered Chrollo calmly.  

Chrollo moved his hand out of his sight to see the Kurta in front of him. His face was 30 centimeters from his, his hands stood firm in place; one in his neck and the other holding the dagger. His eyes were that red that he could recognize anywhere, rubies of pure hatred and thirst for revenge. His frown was harsh showing all the fury within him, determined to end his life once and for all.

But Chrollo couldn't care less.  

''YOU KILLED MY CLAN'' the blonde shouted.  ''A WHOLE TRIBU. ENTIRE FAMILIES, BOYS AND GIRLS’’ Kurapika tightened his neck, brought his face closer and let his hair touch Chrollo’s forehead. Chrollo felt that the air was starting to run out, but he never moved ner said anything, he just kept looking. Exasperated Kurapika said in a deep voice ''You did all of that just for your selfish need. For stupid and nasty money’’

"And it's the same thing you've done," answered Chrollo in a hoarse voice.  

Chrollo felt as if time had stood still for two seconds, then watched as the bloodlust returned to Kurapika three times stronger than before. He squeezed his neck and watched as his other hand began to press little by little. Chrollo kept his eyes on him the entire time, lengthening his neck to make it easier for Kurapika to cut him.

But as soon as the rage came, as soon as he left.  

The blonde threw the dagger on the floor and let go of his neck. The criminal brought a hand to the purple skin and gagged for air quietly.  

"I did what I had to do," whispered Kurapika, turning his back on the criminal.  

"And why do you think I did what I did?  

The blonde lifted his face off the floor and shouted, "NOBODY OBLIGED YOU TO KILL MY FAMILY.’’

"And no one forced you to kill mine’’

And it was the first time in days that Kurapika listened to Chrollo with real emotion in his voice.  

Kurapika turned his head slowly and made contact with strange eyes. Black eyes with which he had dreamed nightmares, eyes that once showed indifference and coldness, now showed pure hatred. Rage he'd only seen in his own reflection. For minutes that seemed like hours, they kept the thin connection trying to show all the resentment they've had for years.

Raising his chin, Kurapika said proudly ''Those two deserved nothing but death''.

The criminal let out an ironic little laugh that sounded like a dull noise for Kurapika ''What about me? I don't deserve worse than death itself? Why did you kill them then''.

Chrollo didn't get an answer. The young man in front of him only held his stance upright and looked back at the wall. He seemed more than annoyed, but the criminal couldn't care less.  

When Kurapika finally moved, he began searching her closet for shoes and a sweater, never facing the criminal. Kurapika then left the bedroom now changed in outdoor clothes. But before leaving, Kurapika heard a loud "coward’’ coming from his room. Kurapika slammed the door shut out of the cabin.  

Leaving Chrollo alone in the darkness of the room.

Hours had passed and the blond still hadn't arrived. The clock was ticking three o'clock in the morning, so Chrollo, already calm, tried to go to sleep just like that. He didn't care if the next day the blond was throwing him into the woods, or if he finished him off there while he slept, at that moment he just wanted to sleep and that for the pain in his body to disappeared.  

* * *

The next morning, when Chrollo woke up. The smell of bacon and eggs flooded in the bed room air. He heard the sound of a hot pot frying something and things moving in the kitchen. But when he began to get used to the sun light, the sound of the oil stopped and he heard the blond sit and clap.  

Trying to evade the sunlight glue into his eyes, he turned his head to see the clock, which marked two o'clock in the afternoon. But what he found curious was to find two plates of white rice and a big glass of... it wasn't water, but still he couldn't believe what he saw.  

With difficulty, he leaned his head on the backrest and grabbed the glass to taste the drink. The glass was cold with ice cubes floating on the surface. He took a sip and was surprised to find out that yes, it was lemonade. After tasting it, he left the glass and took the first course of rice. It had the same soft taste as white rice, but he hardly ate the day before and so he received the food very much.  

He ate quietly, without giving much importance to the blonde's mood swings.  

When he finished the second course, Kurapika entered the room with his face in a book and the blue cup in hand, with the aroma of coffee coming in along with him.  

"Good afternoon" Chrollo greeted him, but the blonde ignored him which Chrollo didn't dislike. Because after last night, he didn't have the mood to pretend courtesy either. So he thanked for the food and took the pillow from the side to put it over his head covering the sunlight and tried to sleep, resigned to not have anything better to do.

But then he felt something fall into his stomach.  

He took off the pillow and saw a book with a red cover, one that he hadn't read yet. He turned to see the blonde, but he was sitting with his face buried in his own book.  

Chrollo arched an eyebrow and grabbed the book in his lap. The cover was made of red leather embroidered on the margin with golden threads, a little worn showing his years.  

"Thank you" whispered Chrollo without receiving an answer he didn't expect. So regardless of the situation, he opened the book and tried to distract himself from the pain in his muscles and the young man by his side.

They ended up reading all afternoon without saying a word, each to respect their space and try to survive living under the same roof.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back. This time I'm trying to get these translations as fast as I can. This chapter is one of my favorites because of the fight at the end, and Kurapika realising that Chrollo it is, even when it's hard to believe, a human being with emotions. 
> 
> I'm lately thinking about if this even is worht trying to finish, because of the morals of having Kurapika shipped with the person he most hates in canon. 
> 
> Even though I'm really trying to make this fic as healthy as possible, portraying a Chrollo that does not bully ner abuses Kurapika, it really is a Chrollo that's not canon. 
> 
> I will update the other two last chapters, but I'm still thinking if anyone really cares about this fic xd. 
> 
> Any way, thank you for reading it and here's [ my tumblr ](https://dirtypawshistorie.tumblr.com/) for any comment. Hope to see you soon, thanks!


	7. Chapter 7

It wasn't the first time the feeling of anguish had won him over, so much that he had to leave his cabin so as not to drown because of the lack of air. He took his hair band from his wrist and gathered his hair into a tall tail, as he continued to walk without a path through the wet leaves of the forest. Accompanied by moonlight and singing crickets. 

He had been thinking about the days he spent with Pairo playing in their homes and reading that book... that stupid book. Remembering the good times made me feel that happiness he used to feel in his childhood, but Kurapika knew that he would never be as happy as before. It was mentally and physically impossible, he could never be happy again. There had been so many nights where he cursed that book and his own curiosity, on how somehow he could have saved his people if things were different and never tried to leave. But no matter what, Kurapika believed that it was fate who made Chrollo ruin his life, him and his family of criminals.  

Family, right?  

That word made his headache worse, as he began to walk more stomply. He rubbed his puffy eyes and glanced for a moment at the moon, which was close to set.

Fighting with Chrollo led to stupid thoughts assaulting his mind, and imagining things he didn't want to imagine. People who always looked without feelings, psychopath who only care about money and nothing else. With the 10 days he had to live with the criminal, Kurapika hadn't changed his mind about them until that night.  

He definitely didn't think of them as good people, but it would be a lie to say that he didn't notice pain in Chrollo's words; pain and hate. A monster like him shouldn't have feelings, but he seems to. Or maybe he's just trying to manipulate him, but for what reason? Although there is that stupid handkerchief he hid in his cabin, is he trying to pretend to be a normal person so that Kurapika ends up giving him empathy? But why be so hateful, and not directly pretend to be a good person. Maybe because that would be too obvious? However, Chrollo choosing to have a discussion with him wouldn't be the best way to get close to someone you're trying to manipulate, would it?  

Kurapika's headache became a migraine. He stretched out his sleeve to grab it between his palms and embraced himself. Autumn was in its last days and the night was icy. He decided to stop for a while and lean against a tree. With his eyes on the floor, he looked at the different colored leaves that created a carpet for his boots. The memory of his father sweeping his courtyard pierced his mind and made his lips form a small smile.

He missed his family.  

And he hated his situation.

 

The dawn lights started to adorn the forest, Kurapika had his cheeks blushed from the cold and got his boots dirty. His eyes were still a little puffy, but the warmness of his sweater had worked a little to sooth his anxiety.  

When he entered his cabin he heard a snoring in his room and was relieved to not have to face him yet. Taking off his boots at the entrance, walking in blue socks he went to the fireplace to light the coals a little, lit a candle he had on the shelf and let the scent of cinnamon fly through the room.  

His heart felt a little lighter after wandering at night, yet Kurapika still felt like he was no longer sure of anything. Preparing breakfast, it was decided that he would let things happen and he would let things be.

He wasn't going to kill anyone anymore. And if he had to help the worst enemy in his life, the reason he's so miserable, he would. His heart could no longer deal with his conflict, for his body was no longer made for murder.

* * *

 

A week after the discussion, things had been tense. There was a silent agreement where there was no sound in the cabin, and Kurapika could not be more grateful for it. After the fight they had, Chrollo has kept limitting from making any conversation at all. He kept saying his ''good morning'', ''thank you'', ''please'', and so on; but nothing else. In the small cabin, only a voice of a criminal and the Kurta’s music could be heard. 

 

When it came to the healing sessions, the blonde limited himself to gestures or simply moving Chrollo without asking out loud.It seemed like that his voice had vanished, which did not bother Chrollo at all. Not hearing a word from him was good enough to keep some peace. They spent whole days buried in books and without interacting with each other.  

There was still a lot of tension, yet both ignored it.  

In the moment, they were in the morning of a quiet weekend, Kurapika was in the middle of a healing session with Chrollo. They had already begun to move his body a little more and now the criminal seemed to be able to sit down on his own, but both noticed that the recovery was being very tedious and slow. Chrollo could tell that his muscles didn't hurt as much anymore and sitting down and moving his arms was more comfortable, but down from his hip, he kept feeling horrible burning nerves pains.

 

Two days ago, they tried to get the criminal to stand up, failing horribly when he fell into the couch and Kurapika did nothing to stop the fall (but still he didn’t show any happiness). Chrollo asked Kurapika if there was other faster way to finish the healing, using Nen or getting a real doctor, to which Kurapika responded with silence and squeezing where it hurt him the most. Chrollo never mentioned it again later.  

Turning the bandage over his still purple ankles one last time, Kurapika stood up and opened the bathroom door. Inside the bathroom, Chrollo could hear the water fall and see steam coming out the frame door. Chrollo took the book on the nightstand, settled his pillow a little and sat down, he was about to start reading; but a sound caused his eyebrow to arch in surprise and slowly turned to the bookcase, where Kurapika's phone was ringing.  

The blond quickly came out of the bathroom with a towel on his shoulders and picked up the phone looking at the screen. He could not stop his eyes from opening in surprise and let the tone ring twice more. When it was about to be the last ring, Kurapika pressed the green icon.  

"Hello?" Kurapika said in a gentle voice.  

"Ayo!" someone said across the line.  

Chrollo stared at the blond's face curiously, how a large smile had appeared and his dull eyes now were glowing like sunlight. He could see his white teeth in his smile and his cheeks rounding and blushing. He felt frigid to see something so unnatural to him, where he had only seen a dry, annoying, dull young man who did not look at him beyond indifference and hatred. Now he felt like he was looking at a totally different person.  

‘’Hello'' answered Kurapika with the same voice that Chrollo forgot he could make ''How are you?'' Kurapika continued as he left the room to go outside the cabin for more privacy.  

Leaving a Chrollo somewhat perplexed, but, as the surprise came, it went away and returned his attention to his book.  

Outside the cabin, Kurapika was walking around his flowers listening to his friend speak.  

‘’And so, right now Alluka went to the store with Gon to buy what's missing for the food. Next week I'll go on another rather dangerous mission. Bodyguard of a I don't know who from who know where. But I remembered you and I already sent my package yesterday'' spoke a cheerful Killua on the other line. "And how are you doing on your infinite vacation?’’

Kurapika laughed slightly at the irony of the situation, thinking for a moment about whether to tell him the truth. But he just replied ‘’ Sincerely tired, but I’m all right.’’

''Hmm, if you want we can go to visit. You know that whenever you want we can keep you company.’’ 

"I know, thank you. But right now I'd feel better on my own.’’

"Bah, you're hopeless. You used to be reserved and tight. I can't believe you're tighter now''  Kurapika heard Killua sigh ''Gon really wants to see you, and he's dying to know where you live-''.

"Hey, don't go to-’’

"I know, we agreed I wasn't going to tell anything. It's just that Alluka wants to visit you, too, and the last time we saw Leorio he was talking about you as if you were dead.’’

Kurapika felt a twinge in his chest, but took a deep breath and replied in a low voice ''I'm sorry, Killua.It's just not a good time.’’

‘’Don't worry, it's no big deal. We received your last package and everyone was very happy about the embroidery you gave them''.

Another smile adorned Kurapika's painful but now relieved face, relieved that his package had arrived safely with its owners ''Thank you, tomorrow I'm going to pick yours''.  

"Okay, now I'm leaving because I think they're about to arrive and I don't want Gon bothering me about you. You really owe me one for all this secrecy.’’

Kurapika laughed softly again ''Sure, thank you very much. Sorry for the inconvenience. See you, Killua-''.

"Wait, Kurapika’’

"Yes?’’

"If you really need help, please talk to us or at least to me. We don't want you to go so far away again and have something bad happen to you, again’’

There was a little silence as Kurapika tried to maintain his composure, but at the end he responded with a soft and gentle voice ''Don't worry, Killua. Everything's fine."

"Okeeey, I'll talk to you later then, bye!"

"Good luck on your mission, goodbye.’’  

The blond heard on the phone a door open and close ''Bye! (Killua who are you talking to?)'' and the line hang. He blocked his cell phone and looked at it for a moment, running his thumb over the screen and looking at his reflection.

Then he remembered that he had the towel on his shoulders and the water was still running in the bathroom. He quickly entered the cabin again and went into the bathroom.  

It was the middle of the afternoon, Kurapika was gathering his things in a bag to go out to the village. When the criminal watched the blond man get ready, he only nodded and wished him a good journey; Kurapika without responding him, slammed the front door as he left.  

Still in the cabin, Chrollo read a blue cover book with a very old children's story according to the author's year. " _ The little prince _ " the title said in gold and italics. The day before, he had asked the blonde for an interesting book, something that really got him thinking. Kurapika immediately threw that book and 3 others to his face (hitting the bruises on his legs and face) and went on sweeping his house.  

The other three books were regular, not boring but they didn't intrigue him either. However, the book he was reading at the time was small and thin...

When he finished it, he put it next to the other three and looked out the window. The sun was about to set and the blond wasn’t going to last long returning back. Being in the same bed for almost two weeks was a nuisance. Chrollo wanted to go outside and continue his mission, but the wounds didn't seem to get better quickly and the blond was limited to do the minimum to help him. Kurapika’s face passed through Chrollo’s mind again, that strange face he witnessed in the morning. One that seemed to radiate light just by hearing someone's voice over the phone.  

Chrollo watched a leaf enter through the window and the icy breeze hit his arms.  

He came to the conclusion that the only person who could have caused the blond's reaction was that doctor hunter who was driving when Kurapika kidnapped him years ago. Before he stopped following the Kurta's lead, he knew they had a relationship on the Dark Continent expedition.  

The leaf that had entered through the window fell on the bookcase, on top of a green box with gold. Chrollo remembered seeing Kurapika open the box once in awhile just to look at its inside. He paid more attention and looked at a white stuffed rabbit in the corner of the

bookcase. Another breeze came through the window and a thunder was heard from afar. That's when the cabin door opened and noises were made from the kitchen. Kurapika was back.

The criminal deduced that the distance to wherever the blond went for his things was somewhat far. In itself, the cabin was in the middle of nowhere, in a country that is probably small and sparsely populated. He couldn't help but be curious how an elite hunter and prodigy like him chose this place to live and not something more practical. Something like being close to his lover or something similar. Not the hut he lived in where there were occasional roof leaks.  

The cuckoo clock was ringing 9 o'clock, and the criminal said "Hey" loud enough to be heard all the way to the kitchen. He didn't get a reply.  

It was up to 15 minutes after the blond entered the bedroom with a plate of rice and water. He was wearing a blue wool sweater, gray cotton pants and nothing on his feet. Chrollo sat down to receive dinner and since he had it by his side, he said almost like a whisper ''I had a doubt, I hope you don't mind me asking''.  

Kurapika remained still for a moment, turning slowly and frowning.

‘’ Why do you live here?'' the criminal asked, noticing how Kurapika narrowed his eyes and was about to leave the room he continued saying ''It's just that, I don't see logical how with all the money you had, you only got enough for this place''.  

Kurapika looked straight at him, the criminal had not looked directly into the blond's eyes for a long time. He walked slowly backwards and sat on the red chair, never taking his eyes off of him. With accusing blue eyes, he only replied, "Money doesn't buy what's most important to me’’

This time the criminal showed a bit of his teeth entertained by the ideology of the blonde "And that is?’’

"Peace and quiet" answered the blond in a dry manner. He lifted his chin a bit and went on, "Though with you appearing, not even a place as far away as this one saves me from problems like you’’.  

The criminal looked directly into his blue eyes, his curiosity continued to escalate and he has never refused not to know something of his interest, so he asked him ''Why here of all places?''.  

Kurapika interlocked his arms and closed his eyes. The criminal expected him to remain silent and fall asleep, leaving him in doubt or perhaps throwing another book in his face. But Kurapika slowly opened his lips, his shoulders tense and his eyes closed and he started ''Two years ago I finished my personal task'' with a low voice ''I ended up here by chance. I did some work near the village, and the owner of this cabin came up with the need to sell it. It was a decision of less than two days, nothing important.’’

Chrollo was somewhat astonished at the blond's sincerity in telling him something personal, but he only remained silent and nodded.

"Thank you," said Chrollo. "It was just a question’’

Kurapika did not respond, opened his eyes and looked at the window. He got up and walked to the kitchen, leaving Chrollo alone to eat calmly.  

Later in the night, after Chrollo came out of the shower, he noticed a large box sitting in the bookcase. After Kurapika finished dressing him for sleep. .  

"What's in that box?" Chrollo asked .  

"None of your business," Kurapika answered .

‘’What if you finally decided to kill me and put my remains in that box?'' he said seriously, even though Kurapika knew it was a joke.  

Which didn't make him laugh.  

"It wouldn't be such a bad idea," he said as he got up from the couch.

Noticing that the conversation wasn’t going to continue, Chrollo settled down and covered his chest to go to sleep, but watched as the blond opened the box and put his head in to see its contents.  

In the room, Chrollo was seeing something he hadn't felt in a long time, Kurapika was radiating happiness. He saw that rare smile again to form on the face of one of his greatest enemies. He was curious to know what was in the box, so he kept looking.  

On the other hand, Kurapika didn't care that Chrollo was in the room, his joy was too much. After those tired days, seeing his friends' gifts was sacred to him. He had to admit that he did missed them a lot, so every time the two months came, his spirits improved a lot. He usually keeps these gifts in his trunk, but there were some that remained in sight like Alluka's stuffed bunny, Gon's green broken music box, and the stereo that Killua gave him. But this month there were four objects instead of three: a black satin box, a stack of CD’s, bags of flower seeds, and a large red cup.

First he studied the albums that were obviously from Killua, he saw that the titles ranged between the normal; piano, violin and his favorite bands. He sent him a new one from a singer named "Alex Turner" and the first album of "Of Monsters and Men". He put it aside and took the seeds out, they were probably Alluka wildflowers. The week Kurapika spent with them he shared with her discussions about things she said were ''It's that Killua never understands me'', and they created a very pleasant friendship. The big red cup came with a note that said "CHANGES COLOR WHEN HOT" in Gon's handwriting. Kurapika let out a small laugh and made a mental note of preparing a coffee for the morning.  

 And to finish, it was the black box's turn. A box that already had an idea from who it was.  

He felt a pressure in his chest, and his eyesight clouded a little. But he took a deep breath and opened the box. He knew it was from him, because his supposed anniversary happened a month ago. An anniversary that no longer had anything to celebrate, and yet the doctor did his best to remember.  Inside the case there was a thin gold-plated ring with a small emerald as decoration. Kurapika could not help but blush and admire the beauty of the jewel. On the top of the box were letters engraved in gold that said '' _ For the one with a pure heart'' _ .  

The emotions began to be too many, and he closed the small black box. He put everything back in the package and took it down from the furniture to put it the corner.  

"Would you mind passing me another book, please?" Chrollo said with a calm voice. Interrupting his now broken peace.

The criminal watched as the blond returned to his normal way of being, cold and indifferent. He looked at him with disgust and took the first book he looked at, throwing it to his chest. Chrollo caught the book before it hit him, but feeling the pain in his arms from the sudden movement. Kurapika just got out of the bedroom. 

In the midnight, Kurapika returned from the kitchen with a cup of hot chocolate, already in his pajamas and looking for a book. Chrollo was immersed in his own book, but the noise of things moving made him look up.

The blond was moving the box again, taking out the records from earlier. Looking at them a little, he took one with the white lid and placed it on the turntable. The voice of a man singing began to echo through the cabin, as Kurapika picked up his hair and returned to his sofa chair.  

The music was kind of loud, and at one point a woman started doing chorus. Chrollo didn't dislike it, but he didn't enjoy it either. So he decided to try to go to sleep as soon as possible, ignoring the noise.  

He placed the book on the night table, and lay down with his back to the blond as usual. He looked through the window and the clouds covering the moon. It grew in him a habit of looking at the sky before going to sleep, a distraction from the hell in which he found himself. Where his executioner insisted on not executing him, and the pain in his body began to make him feel like a living dead man.  

He had to find a way out of that cabin. Even though night wasn't going to be night.  

He fell asleep on the second song, a guitar song he enjoyed a little before returning to the darkness of his dreams.  

* * *

The last record that Killua had sent him finished playing. Kurapika stood up and stretched a bit before going to remove the white sound from the player. He turned to see the clock on the furniture at night, it was the early hours of the morning and it wasn’t long before the sun started  to rise.  

But Kurapika couldn't sleep. He put on his boots, took a small sheet, took one last look at the criminal still asleep, and left the hut.  

He walked the familiar paths, feeling the world around him begin to awaken. The crickets stopped singing, the birds taking their place up in the sky. Drops of water on the lawn illuminating his path with the first rays of sunrise, along with a scent of wet earth that made his cheeks blush.  

He reached a small hill, where the sun could be seen rising among the hills full of pines in the distance. He felt the wind collide with his face, smiling at the tranquility it made him feel.  

It was the third time in that week that he didn't sleep at all. Since his discussion with the criminal, insomnia had returned as the first days were he resigned from being a hunter. His head kept remaining active spinning and spinning, and sleep always ran out when the night came. When he first arrived to the forest and the hut had made his body somehow understand that he should no longer live on the edge, that he is now technically safe.  

But with Chrollo in the cabin, his body asked him to be defensive again. Many times he stopped himself from killing him at night, while he sleeps. It would be quick, it would be easy, all his revenge would be complete. He could even enjoy it and torture him for a moment. Even so, a voice inside his head prevented him from calling his Emperor Time the least. He regained control of his anger, and no longer let go of his power to explode so easily. Still, that didn't stop his senses from telling him to be alert.  

His nerves got worse because of that fight.

Kurapika frowned recalling that night. He wandered all night in the woods, as if he had no soul. He just walked aimlessly, hoping to get lost. Hating who he was, the life he had to live, the pain he had to go through.  

So that in the end, in addition to saving the worst criminal in the world, he had to pity him and  _ forgive _ his life. 

He remembered the nausea he felt at the idea of Chrollo not being what Kurapika swore he was.When Kurapika only could see a person that worked as a machine of destruction and greed, Chrollo actually cared about his people.  

Kurapika has always come to see his enemies with a human side, he didn’t believe to be one to judge people. He even worked for the mafia for a while, because really, he doesn't care what people believe or do, he needed that job and he took it.  

Chrollo was always different.  

He was the one who mercilessly massacred his family and his tribe. Him and the pile of freaks that accompanied him everywhere. If the word  _ hate  _ could be a person, Kurapika really thought he could afford to self-proclaim himself being hate itself. Well, his hatred for the Phantom Brigade was very great.  

But Kurapika killed people important to Chrollo. With every right to do so, but he still killed them. Hurting him and the rest of the Brigade, apparently. If Kurapika had done the same thing as so much hatred and swore revenge, how could he consider himself a better person than the criminal? Mainly after the last pair.  

Kurapika clenched his fists with the faces of his relatives in his mind, but looked at a flock of birds passing over him and relaxed his eyes. He still remembers the nausea he felt when he realized that no, Chrollo wasn’t a monster. He was still suffering from the death of his comrades, comrades that Kurapika murdered. He didn't regret murdering them.  

However...

The criminal gave him an image of looking at his spiders as Kurapika looks at his friends. People who make mistakes, who don't have the best morals in the world, and who aren't benefactors either. And yet, Kurapika would give his life for each one of them again and again if necessary, for his love for them is greater than the hatred he feels for the Brigade.  

The clouds prostrated themselves in front of the sun, beginning a cloudy day. The late autumn breeze made Kurapika take the bed sheet and roll more into it. He turned around and went back to the cabin.  

As he walked, he looked at the soil and the small mushrooms that made their way into the roots of the trees. Some of them came out of almost impossible places, but still managed to sprout and live off the sunlight.  

At that moment, he stopped and looked up. He was looking at his own cabin in the middle of the place, surrounded by grass and with flowers decorating its perimeter. Kurapika recalled that there is something he doesn’t yet know, that it would be good to know and he no longer has to stop to ask.  

Taking off the sheet and wrapping it around his arm, he continued on his way to his home where his worst enemy was.  

* * *

He closed the fausset and wiped his hands with the towel. He looked up at his reflection in the window, showing the backlight of his ruby earring and his black turtleneck shirt. The food was a little sour, but it was good. He finished setting his table and went to the room, determined to do what he had to do.  

In the frame of the door, he saw that the criminal was reading the book he had been given the night before, ''Pride and Prejudice''. He enjoyed a bit how irritated Chrollo should be feeling with a book as old-fashioned and romantic as that, but as he looked at his face showing coldness, he was able to see a spark of fun in his eyes.

Kurapika rolled his eyes and almost striding, approached the edge of the bed beside him. He crossed his arms and pat his foot a little against the floor impatiently.  

Chrollo without turning to see him only said ''Thank you for the food''.

Which Kurapika only made him roll his eyes again and take the book out of his hands ''I’m trying to talk to you'' he said annoyed. The criminal did not appreciate the gesture and didn’t bother to hide the annoyance on his face. The Kurta didn't apologize and just frowned more, sitting on the couch ''You have things to say to me''.

"A good way to know them is to ask," answered Chrollo dryly.  

''That's what I want to do'' attacked the blonde.

"All right, what do you want to know?" Chrollo said arching an eyebrow. His gaze was still annoyed, but he kept his facade of education and ''respect'' for the blonde.  

Kurapika watched the criminal as he generally didn’t, taking a little more detail. As his pale skin looked white against the sunlight, his violet bruises had turned green and the way his turbulent hair hid the mark on his forehead. The blonde for some reason became more annoyed, so he closed his eyes and took two deep breaths. He opened them again and this time, he looked directly into Chrollo's eyes.

"Who tried to kill you and how did they almost do it?" asked the blonde sharply.  

The criminal was surprised to hear the blonde's question. He had to admit he expected a lot of things, but not that. He gave the blond his cold look back, as if trying to remove every layer of his mind so that he could know what he was really up to. But the blond never took his eyes off him, he looked determined.  

"I was stealing something very important from someone powerful," he said calmly.  

"What was it?’’

"A Bible.’’

"A Bible? ‘’ 

"Yes, it's in the fun cloth indeed.’’

"Who did you try?’’

"A very severe dictator with bodyguards who handled Nen very well.’’

"How many?’’

"I fought six, I killed four.’’

Kurapika looked at the criminal with distrust, but he only lifted his shoulders unimportant. He looked down at the sheets that covered his legs violet from the wounds and his almost useless ankles, and brought it up again.

"How much did that bible bliss cost for you to almost die for it?’’

‘’In the bank? Not much. It has a different value’’

Kurapika saw the criminal again with mistrust. "What kind of value?’’

"Sentimental’’

To that answer the blonde shook his head a little in doubt, not believing at all what he was saying. The criminal seeing how surprised the kurta was, couldn't help but laugh a little ''You don't need to believe me''.

 

 "I don't do it.’’

"As you wish, it's the truth and the story you'll hear.’’

There was something that didn't connect for Kurapika.

"And how did you end up so badly hurt? Weren't your psychopaths there to help you?’’

At that moment Kurapika felt a heaviness in the air, for some reason the criminal seemed colder than usual. He lifted his chin and mumbled, "I had to work alone.’’

Kurapika distrustful, folded his arms, leaned back against the couch and crossed his legs ''How can I trust that you didn't come to these lands on purpose?''.  

And at that moment Chrollo didn't bother to hide his annoyance at all: "Do you think I wanted you to come and torture me or kill me on my own free will?’’

The blond remained silent. He didn't seem at all convinced by what the criminal was saying.  

"If you don't have anything more to say, could you pass me the book, please?" said Chrollo annoyed.  

Kurapika sighed, got up and returned the book. He heard a dry thank you and returned to the room. He lit the fireplace and the citrus scented candles. As he lit more firewood, he started to remember the world of Elizabeth Bennet. Horses and rural life seemed interesting to him, a life with challenges. It's not like he's a big fan of technology, owning a basic cell phone and a stereo, both Killua gifts.  

When he sat down on the big three people fitting red sofa in front of the fireplace, he felt a great desire to read the book again.  

He stood up to walk to the room, but noticing Chrollo was still reading the book. He checked among his titles something similar that could satisfy his desire to immerse himself in the world of Mr. Darcy, but there was nothing like  _ ''Pride and Prejudice'' _ .  

Chrollo realized how the blond kept sending him accusatory glances, he assumed because he wanted to read the book he was currently reading. He thought of giving it to him, but if he wasn't going to ask him directly, he wasn't going to let him go. The plot was interesting as for the analysing of the girl. Bennett had a very own way of managing her life in spite of the times and customs, a protagonist who made Chrollo’s interest jump. If Kurapika wanted the book, he had to take it away.  

In the end, Kurapika took another book, put on the same record than the night before and went back to the living room to read.  

So they spent the day reading, not speaking any more or getting in the way of the other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did it, I updated in less than a week.  
> I'm going to throw myself a party


	8. Chapter 8

Chrollo believes that many bad things have happened in those two previous weeks of his life, but he knew, he felt that that night wasn’t going to be any best than the others.

The smell of something burning and little bit of smoke began to reach the bedroom, the sound of frying pans bumping into each other didn’t give him a good feeling. It was Monday of a new week, the previous four days had been quiet. That morning, in fact, everything went smoothly. The blonde left to the village for some things and returned almost at dusk. They haven't spoken either, only when Chrollo thanks for things, and from time to time Kurapika answers him a question about the books he wants to read.  

But he really felt, seriously, that night wasn't going to be good.

One thing Chrollo learned those three weeks in the cabin was that the blonde takes his meals very seriously. The bumping of metal in the kitchen, the smell of ash and the exasperated grunts told him that it wouldn't be fun to see him when they went to sleep.

So Chrollo ended up with a plate of white rice scented with ashes and a blond man smoking through his ears while also eating rice. The good thing was that he could drink some lemonade and thanked the sweetness of its flavor.  

While eating dinner, he turned to see Kurapika on his couch. His hair was in a bun, the sleeve of his yellow shirt rolled up, his pants stained with oil and his feet bare. He looked at his face for a moment, and noticed that his gaze was low and his cheeks a little swollen. He arched his eyebrow when he realized that Kurapika Kurta himself, a hunter feared by many, who could kill anyone if he proposed, that same annoying blond, was pouting because a bad dinner. With some thought, he decided not to tempt his luck and to not comment. He only silently appreciated the blond's annoyed face.  Kurapika noticed Chrollo’s look on him, and hardened his face. 

 

Chrollo quietly said "Thank you for dinner" and left the dish where he always did.

 

The blond man sighed, also finishing his dinner, and got up to leave them in the kitchen. On his way back to the bedroom, he extinguished the candles and the fireplace, checking one last time before returning to the room to read.  

"Tonight I'd like you to pass me the book of Pride and Prejudice again, please.''  

The blond quickly turned remarkably angry at the comment. Chrollo in that moment knew that something bad was going to happen even though he didn't know exactly where it came from, the most probable thing was that the blond got annoyed because he was going for the same book, but in that moment, Kurapika already had the ruby look that so many millions was worth. Suddenly he was furious and very angry.  

"Actually, tonight we're doing double therapy.So the books will be later.''

Leaving the books on the shelf, the blonde approached the criminal with black intentions and closed his eyes. Chrollo showed a false smile and let himself be stretched by the blonde. During those three weeks of recovery, Kurapika has learned to do it without opening his eyes or seeing Chrollo’s face. The criminal’s progress has only come to sit on the bed alone and slowly so. He needed a minute to get settled in and another minute if he wanted to go to bed. His ankles were still failing and headaches were becoming more frequent. It was that the blond had come to the same conclusion about his injuries, and that they have lasted longer in healing for all the nen infringed on the damage.  

So every time Kurapika lost his patience, he took advantage of Chrollo’s fragile state and was more abrupt in physical therapies. Chrollo ended up biting his tongue so as to not make comments that would put him in a worse situation or show the pain that his muscles felt.  

At the end of the stretching, Kurapika tried to stood him up to see if he could keep his balance. When Chrollo felt himself fall, he quickly grabbed the Kurta by his shoulders, pulling slightly forward. His blond hair loosened and the criminal felt its peculiar softness for the first time. Kurapika let his surprise show for a moment. Chrollo could closely see the ruby in his eyes and the freckles on his cheeks. Only before Kurapika quickly took him off and laid him back on the bed, leaving him alone to manage and settle in.  

Watching Kurapika adjust the collar of his pajamas and walk to the shelf again, he felt as looking the ruby of his eyes burning in his retina. Eyes that had returned to their normal blue, full of indifference. But they were decorated together with a snub nose and skin like the rays of the sun in the morning, full of freckles that formed the same constellations that Chrollo looked at night.  

Kurapika took the " _ Pride and Prejudice _ " book and didn't throw anything at Chrollo. He realized that he would have nothing to read that night, so he just turned around slowly and looked at the moonlight against the embroidery of the bed sheets.  

In his head the red color was still marked burning his skin. It was the first time he had seen the blonde so close, and also letting his indifference fall. He thought about the beauty of his clan's eyes, their value and how Kurapika should be worth 10 times more than a pair of those eyes. In any ones sight, he was a well-educated and beautiful young man, which in addition to that, possesses one of the rarest beauties in the world. Beauties that the blond himself took care of hiding from others.  

His hatred for the Kurta was great, but he admitted that his beautiful physique and intellect were to be admired.  

A dark idea passed through Chrollo's head, an idea that he could regret very much, that didn't assure anything and could actually end him dead. Slowly, he turned around to see the blonde on the couch. Kurapika kept his body wrapped in his blanket and the book in front of his face. His golden hair shone against the light’s lamp and his head moved a little along with the rhythm of the background playing song.  

When the song ended, Chrollo said in a hoarse voice "Good night" and turned around again.  

Kurapika wrapped in his book and Chrollo about to sleep, the criminal only thought was that his idea is the best option he had. That is, if he wanted to get back his most precious treasure that is, anyway.

* * *

 

The birds were beginning to sing along with the sunlight when the last chapter of the book was finished. When he finished the album he was listening to, he turned off the stereo but didn't leave his book. He'd spent the whole night reading, not caring that it was already dawn. He removed the blanket from his lap and rose to stretch the tautness on his shoulders. He could feel the bags in his eyes and how swollen they were, as well as the pain in his back from not maintaining a good posture.  

When he had a look on his bed, he noticed that the sheet had been lowered a little and the naked back of the criminal could be seen. Kurapika looked at the scars he had already noticed so much, some deeper than others, but there was no point where the criminal did not have a mark. The bruises on his back were not many, and they were mostly faded. As he slept, Chrollo seemed to feel his gaze, for he moved a bit between dreams, causing his black hair to fall from the pillow and stick to his neck. Kurapika took his eyes off him and prepared for the bath.  

He took his cell phone and decided to put on some music to feel more energetic. He lit some candles and used the bathtub along with some bath salts. With a long, hot bath, he was sure he could enjoy his day better.  

_ ''It's like you're trying to get to heaven in a hurry''  _ he sang softly along with the song. He was grateful that Killua had finally sent him that album, one that they listened to together one day on a trip to the beach. His friends always told him that it was nice to hear Kurapika sing, he only kept doing it when no one listened.  

Singing the lyrics and taking his time, almost an entire hour went by just relaxing in the bathtub. Something he deserved after the pain that happened last night, and every last one he's had to control. The criminal was very inopportune and many times Kurapika felt like it was on purpose, he knew it in his bones.  

He was rinsing himself with the shower, and the soap between his hands slipped off, almost falling on his toe.  

" _ Or maybe I’m just imagining things _ " said a voice in his head. Kurapika carved his head harder with the shampoo.  

" _ Things? The guy is Chrollo Lucifer, the guy you hate the most in the world _ ,'' answered another annoyed voice in his mind.

_ "Yes, but what you did last night was unnecessary.'' _

__

_ "He deserved it.'' _

__

_ "You're more than that, you know it'' _

__

_ "Of course not.'' _

__

_ "Kill him then.'' _

__

_ ''...'' _

Kurapika opened the cold water tap and let the icy run down his back, causing his skin to stiffen pore by pore. His situation with the criminal was difficult, and Kurapika was beginning to be tired of conflict and stress. Chrollo himself has done his part not to being a nuisance and has even learned to keep quiet so as not to be a headache.  

He is the worst criminal in the world, a person that Kurapika wants to kill, but he was also beginning to hate his stress and needed to find a solution to the situation they were both in. It was to kill him, leave him lying in the woods or keep looking after him, but he had to make a decision about his situation.

Kurapika closed the water and changed to go out giving a last look in the mirror before. That day he wore the grey hoodie he liked so much, some red pants and his loose hair. He could see the dark beneath his eyes and his swollen eyelids. He checked between his meds inside the bathroom and took out a few eye drops. As soon as it was done, he left with the intention of preparing breakfast. He could use some waffles.

"Good morning," Chrollo said in a hoarse voice, covering the sun with his bandaged forearm.  

The blond stopped for a moment looking directly at the door frame. Chrollo noticed that his steps were not moving away and removed his arm from his sight. Kurapika turned to see him with a frown, he looked confused. Chrollo looked straight into his eyes waiting for the disgusting look.  

Kurapika said nothing, relaxed his forehead and squinted as if looking for something. But he relaxed his gaze again and left the room. Chrollo, already accustomed to the blond's mood swings, went back to bed and covered his face with the pillow from the other side.  

* * *

Music was beginning to please the criminal, and he had to admit that that day had been one of the best so far. Today the blond was more delicate with the therapies, gave him 3 servings of white rice well served. Chrollo didn't understand the Kurta's mood swings, but he knew he was lucky when he didn't remember that he wanted to punch him to death. Their tension was still there, but they had finally returned to the truce of silence they had. For some reason the package he had received the day before after yesterday had made his mood both better and worse at the same time, but luckily this morning he finally seemed to feel better.

Both were in the situation that suited them best, immersed in a book, Kurapika with his hot coffee, wrapped in thick blankets and with the new music Chrollo was beginning to enjoy. He was reading a more comfortable book, one about war strategies that Kurapika kept full of dust. It was  during the middle of the book, when an outside light illuminated the room, and then there was a rumble in the distance. The first raindrops began to hit the window, but none of them looked up.  

And then the lights went out.  

''Great'' Kurapika grunted rising from his place, and got out of the cabin.

Chrollo saw him walking out and returned his attention to the book. He tried to read the little black letters in the dark, without success. It made sense, it was one o'clock in the morning and the moonlight was completely covered by rain clouds.  

Another flash of lightning came down to earth, illuminating the room again, and Kurapika went back into the hut, supposedly checking the electricity generators. Seeing that the light didn't come back and that Kurapika was soaked in water, they weren't going to have electricity that night.

Tired, Chrollo sighed and closed the book. It was impossible to read in the dim light they had, and anyway he was beginning to feel tired. The problem was that the room was starting to get cold and he felt his skin bristle with the icy sheets. Still, the criminal tried to sleep, closed his eyes and concentrated on the sound of the raindrops, ignoring the noise that Kurapika made as he moved through the hut.  

He was about to sleep, when he felt a frozen hand against his shoulder, waking him up. He suddenly opened his eyes and looked at the blond man, he had the wheelchair open and a lamp in his hand.

"Come on" said the blonde dryly.  

Chrollo arched an eyebrow, but he wasn't going to argue. They both seated Chrollo in the chair, and Kurapika moved him out of the room.

It was the first time Chrollo had looked at the living area. It had the same air as the bedroom, with rustic but spacious red armchairs, with antiquated cushions, nothing unexpected. What caught his attention was the chimney lit by a live fire, which gave a warmth to the air. Kurapika pushed him to the side of the largest sofa, a metre from the fireplace. Chrollo could almost feel the fire on the soles of his feet, removing coldness from his skin. Kurapika returned to the bedroom to be back with the blankets and books, covering Chrollo's lap with his sheet and giving him the book he was reading. For at the end, he settled into the larger sofa by his side, leaning his head on the end, his head close to Chrollo's arm.

He frowned slightly strangely, and let a small side smile to appear on his face. "Thank you''

Kurapika turned the page and said in a monotonous tone ''I can't let you sleep in another room alone''.  

Chrollo arched his eyebrow more confused, as he had noticed before the nights when Kurapika went out for a walk in the early morning and left him alone in the cabin. ''The nights I've been gone, I always left your ankles chained with nen to the bed'' Kurapika said without looking at Chrollo yet, but as if he know what he was thinking.

Chrollo couldn’t be sure that this was true or not, because his detection of nen in the state he was, is almost null. But he decided not to push the issue any further.  

"Besides... if you get hypothermia, it'd be harder for both of us to get you the hell out of here.''

The criminal burst out with a soft laugh that rumbled in the cabin, giving Kurapika chills and finally turning around to see him. Chrollo had his hair covering his forehead, and his eyes were closed with grace. His smile didn't look fake at all. That caused Kurapika's skin

to crawl and have an instinct to move away. However, he only looked directly into Chrollo's eyes and turned back slowly, to go back to read.  

"Even so, thank you" Chrollo said at the end. Kurapika grunted in response, so the criminal continued his reading.  

As time passed, Chrollo realized that he would not be able to sleep that night. The position was too uncomfortable and the weight on his legs against the harsh fabric of the chair bothered him even more.  

When the book was finished, the rain continued to fall heavily but the fire in the fireplace continued to illuminate the room thanks to Kurapika taking care of the wood. Chrollo closed the book and slowly moved his neck to try to relax. He turned to see the Kurta by his side, still immersed in his reading. His profile was illuminated by the gold of fire, a red and stuffed blanket covered his entire body, and his hair was normally gathered loose by the arm of the sofa, attracting the golden light.

Looking at the Kurta, Chrollo thought perhaps carrying out his plan at this point would not be a bad idea. It's the closest the blonde has been to relaxing near his presence, and he knew a good way to start.  

"That book is one of my favorites so far" Chrollo whispered. Kurapika shook his head slightly as he noticed that Chrollo said something, but didn’t answer.  _ "Good"  _ thought the criminal.

"I don't blame you for reading it twice in a row, actually," Chrollo continued. "Even I was touched by Elizabeth's personality.''

Then Kurapika did turned his head and said ''I don't think you have the right to talk about Elizabeth, but I think you can really relate with Wickham more''

Chrollo was having fun with the derogatory tone of the blonde ''I understand your point, but I think if I had to choose a character I look most like, it would be Darcy''.

Kurapika arched an eyebrow and sat on the couch so he could see Chrollo face to face. "I don't think you understand Darcy at all.''  

 

"Of course I do" Chrollo replied, turning to see the fireplace. "But it's just my opinion. Who do you identify with?''

Kurapika remained silent, which made Chrollo not know what to expect. He may respond with a punch or by taking the book away.  

"I don't think I have one that I look like, but my favorite is Elizabeth," Kurapika said softly turning to see the fireplace.  

"Oh, yeah? I can see that,'' Chrollo said softly as well. Kurapika opened his eyes somewhat surprised by the tone of the criminal and looked at him with doubt, to which Chrollo smiled a little ''It is that she was always strong in her ideals and defending those she cared. I'm not saying it would be something I would do or think is best, but I can see how that's what you like the most''.  

Chrollo Lucifer was being kind and having a conversation with him, not a stupid one, just looking for something to talk about in a common topic. Kurapika kept his eyes on him for a moment, looking for the slightest sign of coldness, sarcasm, discomfort, whatever. But he only found a black and intense look that looked at him with the same curiosity as he did.  

Kurapika sighed and settled back down to lie down along the soda, closing the book and looking at the ceiling. "I guess you're right.''

"Of course I am" said Chrollo.  

Kurapika snarled and rolled his eyes ''It was too much decency for you to be possible for you to have a normal conversation, without you scrubbing that you think you're the best in the world''

Chrollo just laughed and replied, "Of course I think so. Because I’m the best, that's why I say that you are like Elizabeth, persevering and strong, not influenced by others. You managed to kill two of my best spiders after all, nobody could do that before just by force. Neither so two in a row''.

Before that, the blonde froze and looked at the criminal's face. He was looking at the fireplace, with a small smile and a …melancholic look. On one hand, he was disgusted with the Chrollo he was looking at, and on the other, he couldn’t help knowing what he was talking about.  

"The woman" Kurapika said without realizing it. Chrollo turned his attention back to him and arched his eyebrow a bit, but Kurapika had already begun to speak, so he was not going to retract now ''They were both strong, but the woman sacrificed herself for you''.

''Yes... they were. Pakunoda was always like that, she would behave like a mother sometimes'' answered Chrollo in a very low voice.  

For a moment, they just remained silent. They looked directly into each other's eyes, indifferent yet intense glances, seeking the slightest detail of falsehood in their words.  

Kurapika came to a decision.  

"I won't kill you," the blond saif in a dry voice and turned his face back to the ceiling. "I'm not planning to. "

 

''I'm glad to hear that," Chrollo said, closing his eyes.

"Just try to not be a headache," said Kurapika.

"Of course not," Chrollo answered.

There was another silence between them and another roar fell from the sky, ringing peculiarly near the hut.

''Another book I also liked, was that of the little prince,'' Chrollo said quietly.  

Kurapika still was lookit at the ceiling "I don't believe you there, I don't believe you at all''

"What do you mean? I thought it was so much fun.''

 

 The blonde rolled his eyes ''Obvious only you can think that the little prince is funny''. The criminal laughed again, which again made the blond's skin bristle. "If you don't want me to kill you, stop doing that.''

"Do what?" Chrollo asked tilting his head.  

"Laugh like that," Kurapika said disgusted.  

"I'm sorry to inform you, but my laughter is like that. There's not much I can do''

To that, Kurapika threw a cushion at Chrollo that he could deflect with his arm, costing him a severe pain in his shoulders. "You have no sense of humor," Chrollo said.

"Just shut up and do as I say" Kurapika said cutting.  

"All right, all right" Chrollo answered, ending their conversation.

Closing his eyes to go to sleep, Kurapika had to admit that the criminal has so far done everything that has been asked of him. Obviously because he knows what's best for him, but after the discussion, he was even gentle and tried his best not to get in the way of his nerves.  

''I also liked The Book of Wars, but I wanted to know what you think about the decisions of the Abedorame people'' Chrollo said quietly.  

Kurapika opened his eyes and looked at him annoyed, sat down on the couch and replied, "You're not going to shut up, are you?''

''It is not that, I’m just genuinely curious to know what you think'' said Chrollo with another small smile on his face.

A smile that Kurapika didn't think was so false anymore.

He sighed and resigned himself to the fact that Chrollo was not going to shut up easily, and answered his question. Somewhat interested in the conversation, as it was one of his favorite strategy books.

And so they stayed up all night talking about books and characters that had caught Chrollo's attention in his bookshelf. Kurapika tried to silence him, but after a moment he realized that it was not so bad to have that  type of conversation for a moment. It was nice not to feel like killing him every five minutes just look at his face.

He decided that he was going to try to let himself go, ignoring his death desires and accepting a conversation that, surprisingly, ended up entertaining him. He just, he decided to ignore.

It was the first time in nights, that he fell asleep without realizing it and without tension in his shoulders.  

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm finally done translating. I hope it performs well and give the same sentiment i'm trying to give in spanish.  
> (yes I know, after a F year, they finally talk to eachother without trying to kill themselfs. From this point now, their relationship finally is going to be better. I hope I can do my best)
> 
> The fic it's not done yet, I have a long way to go, but I hope you all can be happy with the place it is now.   
> Thank you for reading!


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